diff --git a/client/image_tag.go b/client/image_tag.go
index 35abe332b..8924f71eb 100644
--- a/client/image_tag.go
+++ b/client/image_tag.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 
 // ImageTag tags an image in the docker host
 func (cli *Client) ImageTag(ctx context.Context, source, target string) error {
-	if _, err := reference.ParseNormalizedNamed(source); err != nil {
+	if _, err := reference.ParseAnyReference(source); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Error parsing reference: %q is not a valid repository/tag", source)
 	}
 
diff --git a/client/image_tag_test.go b/client/image_tag_test.go
index 52c5e873a..f7a0ee331 100644
--- a/client/image_tag_test.go
+++ b/client/image_tag_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ func TestImageTagInvalidSourceImageName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestImageTagHexSource(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &Client{
+		client: newMockClient(errorMock(http.StatusOK, "OK")),
+	}
+
+	err := client.ImageTag(context.Background(), "0d409d33b27e47423b049f7f863faa08655a8c901749c2b25b93ca67d01a470d", "repo:tag")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("got error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestImageTag(t *testing.T) {
 	expectedURL := "/images/image_id/tag"
 	tagCases := []struct {