diff --git a/pkg/cmd/push.go b/pkg/cmd/push.go
index da7c07b64..31b03ac15 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/push.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/push.go
@@ -34,10 +34,12 @@ If the chart has an associated provenance file, it will also be uploaded.
 
 Remote target formats:
 - oci://REGISTRY/REPO
+- oci://REGISTRY/REPO:VERSION
 - oci://REGISTRY/REPO/CHART
 - oci://REGISTRY/REPO/CHART:VERSION
 
-When CHART is omitted, the chart name is derived from the package. When VERSION is omitted,
+When CHART is omitted, the chart name is derived from the package (and must match the
+repo basename when using oci://REGISTRY/REPO:VERSION). When VERSION is omitted,
 it comes from Chart.yaml. Use --ensure-version as an optional verification. If set, it
 must match Chart.yaml or the command fails.
 
diff --git a/pkg/pusher/ocipusher.go b/pkg/pusher/ocipusher.go
index 753657d19..4490c6d0c 100644
--- a/pkg/pusher/ocipusher.go
+++ b/pkg/pusher/ocipusher.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (pusher *OCIPusher) push(chartRef, href string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// If an expected version is specified via --version, enforce it matches Chart.yaml
+	// If an expected version is specified via --ensure-version, enforce it matches Chart.yaml
 	if pusher.opts.expectedVersion != "" && pusher.opts.expectedVersion != meta.Metadata.Version {
 		return fmt.Errorf("specified --ensure-version %q does not match chart version %q", pusher.opts.expectedVersion, meta.Metadata.Version)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/pusher/ocipusher_test.go b/pkg/pusher/ocipusher_test.go
index 27f6e075c..18f936f1d 100644
--- a/pkg/pusher/ocipusher_test.go
+++ b/pkg/pusher/ocipusher_test.go
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ func TestOCIPusher_Push_InvalidChartVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	err = pusher.Push(chartPath, "oci://localhost:5000/test:0.2.0")
 
 	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("Expected error when pushing without a valid registry")
+		t.Fatal("Expected error due to tag/chart version mismatch")
 	}
 	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "does not match provided chart version") {
 		t.Error("Expected error to mention tag mismatch")
@@ -469,7 +469,7 @@ func TestOCIPusher_Push_ExpectedVersionMismatch(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 
 	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("Expected error when --version does not match chart version")
+		t.Fatal("Expected error when --ensure-version does not match chart version")
 	}
 
 	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "specified --ensure-version") {
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pushref.go b/pkg/registry/pushref.go
index eaa85d60b..86689d111 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pushref.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pushref.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ func BuildPushRef(href, chartName, chartVersion string) (string, error) {
 			last = finalRepo
 		}
 		if last != chartName {
+			if ref.Tag != "" {
+				return "", fmt.Errorf("repository %q does not match chart name %q; the tagged reference %q indicates an explicit push target", finalRepo, chartName, href)
+			}
 			finalRepo = path.Join(finalRepo, chartName)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/registry/pushref_test.go b/pkg/registry/pushref_test.go
index 0bd29ae26..5408baf3b 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/pushref_test.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/pushref_test.go
@@ -85,10 +85,17 @@ func TestBuildPushRef(t *testing.T) {
 			version:  "1.0.0",
 			want:     "my-registry.io/namespace/my-repo:1.0.0",
 		},
+		{
+			name:     "tagged href with mismatched chart name should error",
+			registry: "oci://my-registry.io/repo/other:1.2.3",
+			chart:    "mychart",
+			version:  "1.2.3",
+			want:     "",
+			wantErr:  true,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
-
 		if tt.wantErr {
 			t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 				_, err := BuildPushRef(tt.registry, tt.chart, tt.version)