diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
index 179957510..49c5c83e4 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ func packageURL(name, version string) string {
 	var subPath string
 	var namespace string
 
+	// docker:// references are OCI images, not GitHub repos.
+	// They don't fit the pkg:github PURL shape, so skip them entirely
+	// (same treatment as local composite actions below).
+	if strings.HasPrefix(name, "docker:") {
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	fields := strings.SplitN(name, "/", 3)
 	switch len(fields) {
 	case 1:
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/packageurl_test.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/packageurl_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4174c2026
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/packageurl_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package githubactions
+
+import "testing"
+
+func Test_packageURL_skipsDockerPrefix(t *testing.T) {
+	// docker:// references should return empty PURL (not a valid pkg:github)
+	got := packageURL("docker://ghcr.io/sethvargo/ratchet:latest", "sha256:527e78e6d29a9ac306e843cf766afe0604a0b35633f16913d85dd522218e8ca1")
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Errorf("packageURL(digest-form) = %q, want empty string", got)
+	}
+
+	got = packageURL("docker://ghcr.io/some-org/some-action", "v1")
+	if got != "" {
+		t.Errorf("packageURL(tag-form) = %q, want empty string", got)
+	}
+
+	// Sanity: regular github actions still work
+	got = packageURL("actions/checkout", "v4")
+	want := "pkg:github/actions/checkout@v4"
+	if got != want {
+		t.Errorf("packageURL(regular) = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/workflow-with-docker-actions.yaml b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/workflow-with-docker-actions.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c33a3d54b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/workflow-with-docker-actions.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+name: "Docker Actions Test"
+on: [push]
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: docker://ghcr.io/sethvargo/ratchet:latest@sha256:527e78e6d29a9ac306e843cf766afe0604a0b35633f16913d85dd522218e8ca1
+      - uses: docker://ghcr.io/some-org/some-action@v1
+      - uses: actions/setup-go@v5