diff --git a/pkg/action/push.go b/pkg/action/push.go
index 5eb6110b8..4c61856eb 100644
--- a/pkg/action/push.go
+++ b/pkg/action/push.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package action
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
 	"helm.sh/helm/v4/pkg/cli"
@@ -98,6 +99,9 @@ func (p *Push) Run(chartRef string, remote string) (*registry.PushResult, error)
 	}
 
 	if registry.IsOCI(remote) {
+		if p.cfg == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("missing action configuration: use WithPushConfig when constructing Push")
+		}
 		// Don't use the default registry client if tls options are set.
 		c.Options = append(c.Options, pusher.WithRegistryClient(p.cfg.RegistryClient))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/push.go b/pkg/cmd/push.go
index 71e79a7c7..defe416c6 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/push.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/push.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
@@ -57,6 +58,21 @@ type pushWriter struct {
 	result pushResult
 }
 
+// suppressSummaryWriter forwards all writes to the underlying writer, silently
+// dropping lines that match the registry client's built-in "Pushed:"/"Digest:"
+// summary output. Warnings, errors, and other output are forwarded intact.
+type suppressSummaryWriter struct {
+	w io.Writer
+}
+
+func (s *suppressSummaryWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	line := string(p)
+	if strings.HasPrefix(line, "Pushed: ") || strings.HasPrefix(line, "Digest: ") {
+		return len(p), nil
+	}
+	return s.w.Write(p)
+}
+
 // WriteTable writes the push result in human-readable form, using the same
 // "Pushed:"/"Digest:" labels as the registry client's built-in output so that
 // the default (--output table) experience is consistent and familiar.
@@ -101,13 +117,14 @@ func newPushCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 			}
 			return noMoreArgsComp()
 		},
-		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			// Suppress the registry client's built-in "Pushed:"/"Digest:" lines;
-			// the --output writer (WriteTable/WriteJSON/WriteYAML) is the single
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			// Suppress the registry client's built-in "Pushed:"/"Digest:" summary
+			// lines while forwarding all other output (warnings, etc.) to stderr.
+			// The --output writer (WriteTable/WriteJSON/WriteYAML) is the single
 			// source of structured push output for this command.
 			registryClient, err := newRegistryClient(
 				o.certFile, o.keyFile, o.caFile, o.insecureSkipTLSVerify, o.plainHTTP, o.username, o.password,
-				io.Discard,
+				&suppressSummaryWriter{w: cmd.ErrOrStderr()},
 			)
 
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/root.go b/pkg/cmd/root.go
index 02d004420..bbc2739f3 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/root.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/root.go
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ func newRegistryClient(
 	w ...io.Writer,
 ) (*registry.Client, error) {
 	out := io.Writer(os.Stderr)
-	if len(w) > 0 {
+	if len(w) > 0 && w[0] != nil {
 		out = w[0]
 	}
 	if certFile != "" && keyFile != "" || caFile != "" || insecureSkipTLSVerify {