diff --git a/src/core/namespace.c b/src/core/namespace.c
index c549dcc96b..ecbd23833c 100644
--- a/src/core/namespace.c
+++ b/src/core/namespace.c
@@ -1151,6 +1151,8 @@ static int mount_image(const MountEntry *m, const char *root_directory) {
                                 NULL);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to acquire 'os-release' data of OS tree '%s': %m", empty_to_root(root_directory));
+                if (isempty(host_os_release_id))
+                        return log_debug_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "'ID' field not found or empty in 'os-release' data of OS tree '%s': %m", empty_to_root(root_directory));
         }
 
         r = verity_dissect_and_mount(