diff --git a/cmd/attest.go b/cmd/attest.go
index 1a7b430aa..db2df8dae 100644
--- a/cmd/attest.go
+++ b/cmd/attest.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func selectPassFunc(keypath string) (cosign.PassFunc, error) {
 func attestExec(ctx context.Context, _ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// can only be an image for attestation or OCI DIR
 	userInput := args[0]
-	si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, false)
+	si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, appConfig.Platform, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not generate source input for attest command: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -304,6 +304,11 @@ func setAttestFlags(flags *pflag.FlagSet) {
 		"output", "o", formatAliases(syftjson.ID)[0],
 		fmt.Sprintf("the SBOM format encapsulated within the attestation, available options=%v", formatAliases(attestFormats...)),
 	)
+
+	flags.StringP(
+		"platform", "", "",
+		"an optional platform specifier for container image sources (e.g. 'linux/arm64', 'linux/arm64/v8', 'arm64', 'linux')",
+	)
 }
 
 func bindAttestConfigOptions(flags *pflag.FlagSet) error {
diff --git a/cmd/cmd.go b/cmd/cmd.go
index 7f178934f..f60b017d6 100644
--- a/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ func initCmdAliasBindings() {
 			panic(err)
 		}
 	case attestCmd:
-		// the --output option is an independently defined flag, but a shared config option
-		if err = bindSharedOutputConfigOption(attestCmd.Flags()); err != nil {
+		// the --output and --platform options are independently defined flags, but a shared config option
+		if err = bindSharedConfigOption(attestCmd.Flags()); err != nil {
 			panic(err)
 		}
 		// even though the root command or packages command is NOT being run, we still need default bindings
@@ -90,11 +90,15 @@ func initCmdAliasBindings() {
 	}
 }
 
-func bindSharedOutputConfigOption(flags *pflag.FlagSet) error {
+func bindSharedConfigOption(flags *pflag.FlagSet) error {
 	if err := viper.BindPFlag("output", flags.Lookup("output")); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if err := viper.BindPFlag("platform", flags.Lookup("platform")); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/packages.go b/cmd/packages.go
index b14331833..059173a8b 100644
--- a/cmd/packages.go
+++ b/cmd/packages.go
@@ -6,17 +6,15 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 
-	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/table"
-
-	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft"
-
 	"github.com/anchore/stereoscope"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/anchore"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/bus"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/formats/table"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/log"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/ui"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/internal/version"
+	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/artifact"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/event"
 	"github.com/anchore/syft/syft/pkg/cataloger"
@@ -112,6 +110,11 @@ func setPackageFlags(flags *pflag.FlagSet) {
 		"file to write the default report output to (default is STDOUT)",
 	)
 
+	flags.StringP(
+		"platform", "", "",
+		"an optional platform specifier for container image sources (e.g. 'linux/arm64', 'linux/arm64/v8', 'arm64', 'linux')",
+	)
+
 	// Upload options //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 	flags.StringP(
 		"host", "H", "",
@@ -153,7 +156,7 @@ func bindPackagesConfigOptions(flags *pflag.FlagSet) error {
 	if err := bindExclusivePackagesConfigOptions(flags); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := bindSharedOutputConfigOption(flags); err != nil {
+	if err := bindSharedConfigOption(flags); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -232,7 +235,7 @@ func packagesExec(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	// could be an image or a directory, with or without a scheme
 	userInput := args[0]
-	si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, true)
+	si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, appConfig.Platform, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not generate source input for packages command: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/power_user.go b/cmd/power_user.go
index 59c52b262..8b9df4c71 100644
--- a/cmd/power_user.go
+++ b/cmd/power_user.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func powerUserExecWorker(userInput string, writer sbom.Writer) <-chan error {
 			return
 		}
 
-		si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, true)
+		si, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, appConfig.Platform, true)
 		if err != nil {
 			errs <- err
 			return
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 31e02eb79..75c536c11 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/anchore/go-testutils v0.0.0-20200925183923-d5f45b0d3c04
 	github.com/anchore/go-version v1.2.2-0.20200701162849-18adb9c92b9b
 	github.com/anchore/packageurl-go v0.0.0-20210922164639-b3fa992ebd29
-	github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220301220648-8aa8a4a0bf50
+	github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220304014943-22a4c2bb498e
 	github.com/antihax/optional v1.0.0
 	github.com/bmatcuk/doublestar/v4 v4.0.2
 	github.com/docker/docker v20.10.12+incompatible
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index f10a8a515..1863d69de 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@ github.com/anchore/go-version v1.2.2-0.20200701162849-18adb9c92b9b h1:e1bmaoJfZV
 github.com/anchore/go-version v1.2.2-0.20200701162849-18adb9c92b9b/go.mod h1:Bkc+JYWjMCF8OyZ340IMSIi2Ebf3uwByOk6ho4wne1E=
 github.com/anchore/packageurl-go v0.0.0-20210922164639-b3fa992ebd29 h1:K9LfnxwhqvihqU0+MF325FNy7fsKV9EGaUxdfR4gnWk=
 github.com/anchore/packageurl-go v0.0.0-20210922164639-b3fa992ebd29/go.mod h1:Oc1UkGaJwY6ND6vtAqPSlYrptKRJngHwkwB6W7l1uP0=
-github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220301220648-8aa8a4a0bf50 h1:+Fe67xv6NRLdZ5V9X2kw959XsKQCUx5/6RL/wQZfs44=
-github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220301220648-8aa8a4a0bf50/go.mod h1:QpDHHV2h1NNfu7klzU75XC8RvSlaPK6HHgi0dy8A6sk=
+github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220304014943-22a4c2bb498e h1:+nlnKqlR8UwG/PhTD8qSN7RphXOI9fK77q5p3PQLx0k=
+github.com/anchore/stereoscope v0.0.0-20220304014943-22a4c2bb498e/go.mod h1:Juw0DqHmBSAMFVcT/kRM0GhLdIEAaiCQbq9mdCp47dY=
 github.com/andreyvit/diff v0.0.0-20170406064948-c7f18ee00883/go.mod h1:rCTlJbsFo29Kk6CurOXKm700vrz8f0KW0JNfpkRJY/8=
 github.com/andybalholm/brotli v1.0.0/go.mod h1:loMXtMfwqflxFJPmdbJO0a3KNoPuLBgiu3qAvBg8x/Y=
 github.com/andybalholm/brotli v1.0.1/go.mod h1:loMXtMfwqflxFJPmdbJO0a3KNoPuLBgiu3qAvBg8x/Y=
diff --git a/internal/config/application.go b/internal/config/application.go
index 35be6cb54..d24d78bb0 100644
--- a/internal/config/application.go
+++ b/internal/config/application.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ type Application struct {
 	Registry           registry           `yaml:"registry" json:"registry" mapstructure:"registry"`
 	Exclusions         []string           `yaml:"exclude" json:"exclude" mapstructure:"exclude"`
 	Attest             attest             `yaml:"attest" json:"attest" mapstructure:"attest"`
+	Platform           string             `yaml:"platform" json:"platform" mapstructure:"platform"`
 }
 
 // PowerUserCatalogerEnabledDefault switches all catalogers to be enabled when running power-user command
diff --git a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestEncodeFullJSONDocument.golden b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestEncodeFullJSONDocument.golden
index 80bc5162e..f9441d41c 100644
--- a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestEncodeFullJSONDocument.golden
+++ b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestEncodeFullJSONDocument.golden
@@ -163,7 +163,9 @@
    ],
    "manifest": "ZXlKelkyaGxiV0ZXWlhKemFXOXVJam95TENKdFpXUnBZVlI1Y0dVaU9pSmguLi4=",
    "config": "ZXlKaGNtTm9hWFJsWTNSMWNtVWlPaUpoYldRMk5DSXNJbU52Ym1acC4uLg==",
-   "repoDigests": []
+   "repoDigests": [],
+   "architecture": "",
+   "os": ""
   }
  },
  "distro": {
diff --git a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestImageEncoder.golden b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestImageEncoder.golden
index d117183f5..775d2fb05 100644
--- a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestImageEncoder.golden
+++ b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/TestImageEncoder.golden
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
  "artifacts": [
   {
-   "id": "3a6c7061f86ac3f7",
+   "id": "d9527e708c11f8b9",
    "name": "package-1",
    "version": "1.0.1",
    "type": "python",
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
    "locations": [
     {
      "path": "/somefile-1.txt",
-     "layerID": "sha256:135c16aca35f76c25a18cb6650c621a46b8b79864ad6f2834167de2679bb587d"
+     "layerID": "sha256:fb6beecb75b39f4bb813dbf177e501edd5ddb3e69bb45cedeb78c676ee1b7a59"
     }
    ],
    "licenses": [
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "id": "4e916af2d387ce9",
+   "id": "73f796c846875b9e",
    "name": "package-2",
    "version": "2.0.1",
    "type": "deb",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
    "locations": [
     {
      "path": "/somefile-2.txt",
-     "layerID": "sha256:c751a2f31455b3049bcab3e3af5861c9431116c9f4a46213e44dbeff8ab36985"
+     "layerID": "sha256:319b588ce64253a87b533c8ed01cf0025e0eac98e7b516e12532957e1244fdec"
     }
    ],
    "licenses": [],
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
   "type": "image",
   "target": {
    "userInput": "user-image-input",
-   "imageID": "sha256:9998e833a66442934ad948e5cbe898630773c369ef16517623254fa46edd171b",
+   "imageID": "sha256:2480160b55bec40c44d3b145c7b2c1c47160db8575c3dcae086d76b9370ae7ca",
    "manifestDigest": "sha256:2731251dc34951c0e50fcc643b4c5f74922dad1a5d98f302b504cf46cd5d9368",
    "mediaType": "application/vnd.docker.distribution.manifest.v2+json",
    "tags": [
@@ -77,18 +77,20 @@
    "layers": [
     {
      "mediaType": "application/vnd.docker.image.rootfs.diff.tar.gzip",
-     "digest": "sha256:135c16aca35f76c25a18cb6650c621a46b8b79864ad6f2834167de2679bb587d",
+     "digest": "sha256:fb6beecb75b39f4bb813dbf177e501edd5ddb3e69bb45cedeb78c676ee1b7a59",
      "size": 22
     },
     {
      "mediaType": "application/vnd.docker.image.rootfs.diff.tar.gzip",
-     "digest": "sha256:c751a2f31455b3049bcab3e3af5861c9431116c9f4a46213e44dbeff8ab36985",
+     "digest": "sha256:319b588ce64253a87b533c8ed01cf0025e0eac98e7b516e12532957e1244fdec",
      "size": 16
     }
    ],
-   "manifest": "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",
-   "config": "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",
-   "repoDigests": []
+   "manifest": "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",
+   "config": "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",
+   "repoDigests": [],
+   "architecture": "",
+   "os": ""
   }
  },
  "distro": {
diff --git a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/stereoscope-fixture-image-simple.golden b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/stereoscope-fixture-image-simple.golden
index 61b0a337e..c1b1d2b79 100644
Binary files a/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/stereoscope-fixture-image-simple.golden and b/internal/formats/syftjson/test-fixtures/snapshot/stereoscope-fixture-image-simple.golden differ
diff --git a/syft/source/image_metadata.go b/syft/source/image_metadata.go
index 9067a330b..0d70ed775 100644
--- a/syft/source/image_metadata.go
+++ b/syft/source/image_metadata.go
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ type ImageMetadata struct {
 	RawManifest    []byte          `json:"manifest"`
 	RawConfig      []byte          `json:"config"`
 	RepoDigests    []string        `json:"repoDigests"`
+	Architecture   string          `json:"architecture"`
+	Variant        string          `json:"architectureVariant,omitempty"`
+	OS             string          `json:"os"`
 }
 
 // LayerMetadata represents all static metadata that defines what a container image layer is.
@@ -42,6 +45,9 @@ func NewImageMetadata(img *image.Image, userInput string) ImageMetadata {
 		RawConfig:      img.Metadata.RawConfig,
 		RawManifest:    img.Metadata.RawManifest,
 		RepoDigests:    img.Metadata.RepoDigests,
+		Architecture:   img.Metadata.Architecture,
+		Variant:        img.Metadata.Variant,
+		OS:             img.Metadata.OS,
 	}
 
 	// populate image metadata
diff --git a/syft/source/source.go b/syft/source/source.go
index 751dc1c0b..6e36a1779 100644
--- a/syft/source/source.go
+++ b/syft/source/source.go
@@ -40,12 +40,13 @@ type Input struct {
 	Scheme                          Scheme
 	ImageSource                     image.Source
 	Location                        string
+	Platform                        string
 	autoDetectAvailableImageSources bool
 }
 
 // ParseInput generates a source Input that can be used as an argument to generate a new source
 // from specific providers including a registry.
-func ParseInput(userInput string, detectAvailableImageSources bool) (*Input, error) {
+func ParseInput(userInput string, platform string, detectAvailableImageSources bool) (*Input, error) {
 	fs := afero.NewOsFs()
 	scheme, source, location, err := DetectScheme(fs, image.DetectSource, userInput)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -71,12 +72,17 @@ func ParseInput(userInput string, detectAvailableImageSources bool) (*Input, err
 		}
 	}
 
+	if scheme != ImageScheme && platform != "" {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot specify a platform for a non-image source")
+	}
+
 	// collect user input for downstream consumption
 	return &Input{
 		UserInput:                       userInput,
 		Scheme:                          scheme,
 		ImageSource:                     source,
 		Location:                        location,
+		Platform:                        platform,
 		autoDetectAvailableImageSources: detectAvailableImageSources,
 	}, nil
 }
@@ -147,10 +153,19 @@ func getImageWithRetryStrategy(in Input, registryOptions *image.RegistryOptions)
 		opts = append(opts, stereoscope.WithRegistryOptions(*registryOptions))
 	}
 
+	if in.Platform != "" {
+		opts = append(opts, stereoscope.WithPlatform(in.Platform))
+	}
+
 	img, err := stereoscope.GetImageFromSource(ctx, in.Location, in.ImageSource, opts...)
+	cleanup := func() {
+		if err := img.Cleanup(); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("unable to cleanup image=%q: %w", in.UserInput, err)
+		}
+	}
 	if err == nil {
 		// Success on the first try!
-		return img, stereoscope.Cleanup, nil
+		return img, cleanup, nil
 	}
 
 	scheme := parseScheme(in.UserInput)
@@ -180,11 +195,12 @@ func getImageWithRetryStrategy(in Input, registryOptions *image.RegistryOptions)
 		in.ImageSource = image.DetermineDefaultImagePullSource(in.UserInput)
 	}
 	img, err = stereoscope.GetImageFromSource(ctx, in.UserInput, in.ImageSource, opts...)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+	cleanup = func() {
+		if err := img.Cleanup(); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("unable to cleanup image=%q: %w", in.UserInput, err)
+		}
 	}
-
-	return img, stereoscope.Cleanup, nil
+	return img, cleanup, err
 }
 
 func generateDirectorySource(fs afero.Fs, location string) (*Source, func(), error) {
diff --git a/syft/source/source_test.go b/syft/source/source_test.go
index 433f41094..8945e36cd 100644
--- a/syft/source/source_test.go
+++ b/syft/source/source_test.go
@@ -26,22 +26,34 @@ func TestParseInput(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name     string
 		input    string
+		platform string
 		expected Scheme
+		errFn    require.ErrorAssertionFunc
 	}{
 		{
 			name:     "ParseInput parses a file input",
 			input:    "test-fixtures/image-simple/file-1.txt",
 			expected: FileScheme,
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "errors out when using platform for non-image scheme",
+			input:    "test-fixtures/image-simple/file-1.txt",
+			platform: "arm64",
+			errFn:    require.Error,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			sourceInput, err := ParseInput(test.input, true)
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Errorf("failed to ParseInput")
+			if test.errFn == nil {
+				test.errFn = require.NoError
+			}
+			sourceInput, err := ParseInput(test.input, test.platform, true)
+			test.errFn(t, err)
+			if test.expected != "" {
+				require.NotNil(t, sourceInput)
+				assert.Equal(t, sourceInput.Scheme, test.expected)
 			}
-			assert.Equal(t, sourceInput.Scheme, test.expected)
 		})
 	}
 }
@@ -452,7 +464,7 @@ func TestDirectoryExclusions(t *testing.T) {
 	registryOpts := &image.RegistryOptions{}
 	for _, test := range testCases {
 		t.Run(test.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
-			sourceInput, err := ParseInput("dir:"+test.input, false)
+			sourceInput, err := ParseInput("dir:"+test.input, "", false)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			src, fn, err := New(*sourceInput, registryOpts, test.exclusions)
 			defer fn()
@@ -546,7 +558,7 @@ func TestImageExclusions(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, test := range testCases {
 		t.Run(test.desc, func(t *testing.T) {
 			archiveLocation := imagetest.PrepareFixtureImage(t, "docker-archive", test.input)
-			sourceInput, err := ParseInput(archiveLocation, false)
+			sourceInput, err := ParseInput(archiveLocation, "", false)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			src, fn, err := New(*sourceInput, registryOpts, test.exclusions)
 			defer fn()
diff --git a/test/cli/packages_cmd_test.go b/test/cli/packages_cmd_test.go
index 0a8f4ac55..44bd7a92a 100644
--- a/test/cli/packages_cmd_test.go
+++ b/test/cli/packages_cmd_test.go
@@ -184,6 +184,14 @@ func TestPackagesCmdFlags(t *testing.T) {
 				assertInOutput("search-indexed-archives: false"),
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "platform-option-wired-up",
+			args: []string{"packages", "--platform", "arm64", "-o", "json", "registry:busybox:1.31"},
+			assertions: []traitAssertion{
+				assertInOutput("sha256:1ee006886991ad4689838d3a288e0dd3fd29b70e276622f16b67a8922831a853"), // linux/arm64 image digest
+				assertSuccessfulReturnCode,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
diff --git a/test/integration/catalog_packages_test.go b/test/integration/catalog_packages_test.go
index 7747a5536..b069a5cab 100644
--- a/test/integration/catalog_packages_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/catalog_packages_test.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func BenchmarkImagePackageCatalogers(b *testing.B) {
 	for _, c := range cataloger.ImageCatalogers(cataloger.DefaultConfig()) {
 		// in case of future alteration where state is persisted, assume no dependency is safe to reuse
 		userInput := "docker-archive:" + tarPath
-		sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, false)
+		sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, "", false)
 		require.NoError(b, err)
 		theSource, cleanupSource, err := source.New(*sourceInput, nil, nil)
 		b.Cleanup(cleanupSource)
diff --git a/test/integration/utils_test.go b/test/integration/utils_test.go
index 3b8866786..fd33eba82 100644
--- a/test/integration/utils_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/utils_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func catalogFixtureImage(t *testing.T, fixtureImageName string) (sbom.SBOM, *sou
 	imagetest.GetFixtureImage(t, "docker-archive", fixtureImageName)
 	tarPath := imagetest.GetFixtureImageTarPath(t, fixtureImageName)
 	userInput := "docker-archive:" + tarPath
-	sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, false)
+	sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, "", false)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	theSource, cleanupSource, err := source.New(*sourceInput, nil, nil)
 	t.Cleanup(cleanupSource)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func catalogFixtureImage(t *testing.T, fixtureImageName string) (sbom.SBOM, *sou
 
 func catalogDirectory(t *testing.T, dir string) (sbom.SBOM, *source.Source) {
 	userInput := "dir:" + dir
-	sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, false)
+	sourceInput, err := source.ParseInput(userInput, "", false)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	theSource, cleanupSource, err := source.New(*sourceInput, nil, nil)
 	t.Cleanup(cleanupSource)