diff --git a/pkg/transfer/local/import.go b/pkg/transfer/local/import.go
index cf9944c72..6ccc4f1f9 100644
--- a/pkg/transfer/local/import.go
+++ b/pkg/transfer/local/import.go
@@ -113,10 +113,20 @@ func (ts *localTransferService) importStream(ctx context.Context, i transfer.Ima
 	}
 
 	if err := images.WalkNotEmpty(ctx, handler, index); err != nil {
+		if unpacker != nil {
+			// wait for unpacker to cleanup
+			unpacker.Wait()
+		}
 		// TODO: Handle Not Empty as a special case on the input
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if unpacker != nil {
+		if _, err = unpacker.Wait(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	for _, desc := range descriptors {
 		imgs, err := is.Store(ctx, desc, ts.images)
 		if err != nil {