diff --git a/registry/storage/garbagecollect.go b/registry/storage/garbagecollect.go
index 4a8c26320..887f35238 100644
--- a/registry/storage/garbagecollect.go
+++ b/registry/storage/garbagecollect.go
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ func MarkAndSweep(ctx context.Context, storageDriver driver.StorageDriver, regis
 			}
 			for _, layerDgst := range obj.Layers {
 				if _, ok := markSet[layerDgst]; !ok {
-					err := vacuum.RemoveLayerLink(obj.Name, string(layerDgst))
+					err := vacuum.RemoveLayerLink(obj.Name, layerDgst)
 					if err != nil {
 						return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete layer link %s for manifest %s: %v", layerDgst, obj.Name, err)
 					}
diff --git a/registry/storage/vacuum.go b/registry/storage/vacuum.go
index 11a8e6ba3..92edbcf2f 100644
--- a/registry/storage/vacuum.go
+++ b/registry/storage/vacuum.go
@@ -85,13 +85,8 @@ func (v Vacuum) RemoveManifest(name string, dgst digest.Digest, tags []string) e
 }
 
 // RemoveLayerLink removes a layer link from the filesystem
-func (v Vacuum) RemoveLayerLink(manifestName, dgst string) error {
-	d, err := digest.Parse(dgst)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	layerLinkPath, err := pathFor(layerLinkPathSpec{name: manifestName, digest: d})
+func (v Vacuum) RemoveLayerLink(manifestName string, dgst digest.Digest) error {
+	layerLinkPath, err := pathFor(layerLinkPathSpec{name: manifestName, digest: dgst})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}