diff --git a/pkg/cmd/image.go b/pkg/cmd/image.go
index 7235449..afac226 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/image.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/image.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/kernel/hypeman-cli/internal/apiquery"
@@ -145,7 +146,9 @@ func handleImagesDelete(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return client.Images.Delete(ctx, requestflag.CommandRequestValue[string](cmd, "name"), options...)
+	// URL-encode the name to handle slashes in image references (e.g., docker.io/library/nginx:latest)
+	name := url.PathEscape(requestflag.CommandRequestValue[string](cmd, "name"))
+	return client.Images.Delete(ctx, name, options...)
 }
 
 func handleImagesGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
@@ -170,7 +173,9 @@ func handleImagesGet(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 
 	var res []byte
 	options = append(options, option.WithResponseBodyInto(&res))
-	_, err = client.Images.Get(ctx, requestflag.CommandRequestValue[string](cmd, "name"), options...)
+	// URL-encode the name to handle slashes in image references (e.g., docker.io/library/nginx:latest)
+	name := url.PathEscape(requestflag.CommandRequestValue[string](cmd, "name"))
+	_, err = client.Images.Get(ctx, name, options...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/push.go b/pkg/cmd/push.go
index 223a99d..e66f61e 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/push.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/push.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -70,11 +71,21 @@ func handlePush(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid target: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	auth := &hypemanAuth{}
+	token := os.Getenv("HYPEMAN_BEARER_TOKEN")
+	if token == "" {
+		token = os.Getenv("HYPEMAN_API_KEY")
+	}
+
+	// Use custom transport that always sends Basic auth header
+	transport := &authTransport{
+		base:  http.DefaultTransport,
+		token: token,
+	}
 
 	err = remote.Write(dstRef, img,
 		remote.WithContext(ctx),
-		remote.WithAuth(auth),
+		remote.WithAuth(authn.Anonymous),
+		remote.WithTransport(transport),
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("push failed: %w", err)
@@ -84,15 +95,17 @@ func handlePush(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-type hypemanAuth struct{}
+// authTransport adds Basic auth header to all requests
+type authTransport struct {
+	base  http.RoundTripper
+	token string
+}
 
-func (a *hypemanAuth) Authorization() (*authn.AuthConfig, error) {
-	token := os.Getenv("HYPEMAN_BEARER_TOKEN")
-	if token == "" {
-		token = os.Getenv("HYPEMAN_API_KEY")
-	}
-	if token == "" {
-		return &authn.AuthConfig{}, nil
+func (t *authTransport) RoundTrip(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
+	if t.token != "" {
+		// Clone request to avoid modifying the original (RoundTripper contract)
+		req = req.Clone(req.Context())
+		req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+t.token)
 	}
-	return &authn.AuthConfig{RegistryToken: token}, nil
+	return t.base.RoundTrip(req)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/run.go b/pkg/cmd/run.go
index aadc75b..e23eac3 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/run.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/run.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/url"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -114,7 +115,8 @@ func handleRun(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 	client := hypeman.NewClient(getDefaultRequestOptions(cmd)...)
 
 	// Check if image exists and is ready
-	imgInfo, err := client.Images.Get(ctx, image)
+	// URL-encode the image name to handle slashes (e.g., docker.io/library/nginx:latest)
+	imgInfo, err := client.Images.Get(ctx, url.PathEscape(image))
 	if err != nil {
 		// Image not found, try to pull it
 		var apiErr *hypeman.Error
@@ -272,7 +274,7 @@ func waitForImageReady(ctx context.Context, client *hypeman.Client, img *hypeman
 		case <-ctx.Done():
 			return ctx.Err()
 		case <-ticker.C:
-			updated, err := client.Images.Get(ctx, img.Name)
+			updated, err := client.Images.Get(ctx, url.PathEscape(img.Name))
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to check image status: %w", err)
 			}