diff --git a/lxc/image.go b/lxc/image.go
index e526f579c129..e16ebd1cf200 100644
--- a/lxc/image.go
+++ b/lxc/image.go
@@ -109,17 +109,24 @@ hash or alias name (if one is set).`))
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func (c *cmdImage) dereferenceAlias(d lxd.ImageServer, imageType string, inName string) string {
+func (c *cmdImage) dereferenceAlias(d lxd.ImageServer, imageType string, inName string) (string, error) {
 	if inName == "" {
 		inName = "default"
 	}
 
-	result, _, _ := d.GetImageAliasType(imageType, inName)
-	if result == nil {
-		return inName
+	result, _, err := d.GetImageAliasType(imageType, inName)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Maybe that inName is a fingerprint and can't be found as an alias
+		i, _, errImage := d.GetImage(inName)
+		if errImage != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf(i18n.G("Fingerprint %q not found"), inName)
+		}
+
+		return i.Fingerprint, nil
 	}
 
-	return result.Target
+	// If inName is an alias and could be resolved, return its fingerprint
+	return result.Target, nil
 }
 
 // Copy.
@@ -229,7 +236,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageCopy) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		imgInfo.Public = true
 	} else {
 		// Resolve any alias and then grab the image information from the source
-		image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(sourceServer, imageType, name)
+		image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(sourceServer, imageType, name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		imgInfo, _, err = sourceServer.GetImage(image)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -335,7 +346,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageDelete) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf(i18n.G("Image identifier missing"))
 		}
 
-		image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+		image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		op, err := resource.server.DeleteImage(image)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -404,7 +419,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageEdit) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Resolve any aliases
-	image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+	image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if image == "" {
 		image = resource.name
 	}
@@ -522,7 +541,10 @@ func (c *cmdImageExport) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		imageType = "virtual-machine"
 	}
 
-	fingerprint := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	fingerprint, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// Default target is current directory
 	target := "."
@@ -914,7 +936,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageInfo) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		imageType = "virtual-machine"
 	}
 
-	image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	info, _, err := remoteServer.GetImage(image)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1361,7 +1387,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageRefresh) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf(i18n.G("Image identifier missing"))
 		}
 
-		image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+		image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		progress := cli.ProgressRenderer{
 			Format: i18n.G("Refreshing the image: %s"),
 			Quiet:  c.global.flagQuiet,
@@ -1448,7 +1478,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageShow) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		imageType = "virtual-machine"
 	}
 
-	image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, imageType, name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	info, _, err := remoteServer.GetImage(image)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1501,7 +1535,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageGetProp) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Get the corresponding property
-	image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, "", name)
+	image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(remoteServer, "", name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	info, _, err := remoteServer.GetImage(image)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -1554,7 +1592,11 @@ func (c *cmdImageSetProp) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Show properties
-	image := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+	image, err := c.image.dereferenceAlias(resource.server, "", resource.name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	info, etag, err := resource.server.GetImage(image)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err