diff --git a/cmd/skopeo/copy.go b/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
index d08790bc..1b8214ed 100644
--- a/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
+++ b/cmd/skopeo/copy.go
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ func copyHandler(context *cli.Context) {
 		logrus.Fatalf("Error parsing manifest: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 	for _, layer := range layers {
-		stream, err := src.GetBlob(layer)
+		// TODO(mitr): do not ignore the size param returned here
+		stream, _, err := src.GetBlob(layer)
 		if err != nil {
 			logrus.Fatalf("Error reading layer %s: %s", layer, err.Error())
 		}
diff --git a/directory/directory.go b/directory/directory.go
index 45e98859..cfe5d394 100644
--- a/directory/directory.go
+++ b/directory/directory.go
@@ -93,8 +93,16 @@ func (s *dirImageSource) GetManifest(_ []string) ([]byte, string, error) {
 	return m, "", err
 }
 
-func (s *dirImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
-	return os.Open(layerPath(s.dir, digest))
+func (s *dirImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, int64, error) {
+	r, err := os.Open(layerPath(s.dir, digest))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, 0, nil
+	}
+	fi, err := os.Stat(layerPath(s.dir, digest))
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, 0, nil
+	}
+	return r, fi.Size(), nil
 }
 
 func (s *dirImageSource) GetSignatures() ([][]byte, error) {
diff --git a/docker/docker_image_src.go b/docker/docker_image_src.go
index 184ef990..1483ef7a 100644
--- a/docker/docker_image_src.go
+++ b/docker/docker_image_src.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/Sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/projectatomic/skopeo/docker/utils"
@@ -78,18 +79,22 @@ func (s *dockerImageSource) GetManifest(mimetypes []string) ([]byte, string, err
 	return manblob, res.Header.Get("Content-Type"), nil
 }
 
-func (s *dockerImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+func (s *dockerImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, int64, error) {
 	url := fmt.Sprintf(blobsURL, s.ref.RemoteName(), digest)
 	logrus.Infof("Downloading %s", url)
 	res, err := s.c.makeRequest("GET", url, nil, nil)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, 0, err
 	}
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		// print url also
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid status code returned when fetching blob %d", res.StatusCode)
+		return nil, 0, fmt.Errorf("Invalid status code returned when fetching blob %d", res.StatusCode)
 	}
-	return res.Body, nil
+	size, err := strconv.ParseInt(res.Header.Get("Content-Length"), 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		size = 0
+	}
+	return res.Body, size, nil
 }
 
 func (s *dockerImageSource) GetSignatures() ([][]byte, error) {
diff --git a/image/image.go b/image/image.go
index 77226be2..509c9b31 100644
--- a/image/image.go
+++ b/image/image.go
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func (i *genericImage) Layers(layers ...string) error {
 }
 
 func (i *genericImage) getLayer(dest types.ImageDestination, digest string) error {
-	stream, err := i.src.GetBlob(digest)
+	stream, _, err := i.src.GetBlob(digest)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/openshift/openshift.go b/openshift/openshift.go
index d86e7d47..58491195 100644
--- a/openshift/openshift.go
+++ b/openshift/openshift.go
@@ -200,9 +200,9 @@ func (s *openshiftImageSource) GetManifest(mimetypes []string) ([]byte, string,
 	return s.docker.GetManifest(mimetypes)
 }
 
-func (s *openshiftImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, error) {
+func (s *openshiftImageSource) GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, int64, error) {
 	if err := s.ensureImageIsResolved(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return nil, 0, err
 	}
 	return s.docker.GetBlob(digest)
 }
diff --git a/types/types.go b/types/types.go
index a82a2a1f..09640fad 100644
--- a/types/types.go
+++ b/types/types.go
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ type ImageSource interface {
 	// It may use a remote (= slow) service.
 	GetManifest([]string) ([]byte, string, error)
 	// Note: Calling GetBlob() may have ordering dependencies WRT other methods of this type. FIXME: How does this work with (docker save) on stdin?
-	GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, error)
+	// the second return value is the size of the blob. If not known 0 is returned
+	GetBlob(digest string) (io.ReadCloser, int64, error)
 	// GetSignatures returns the image's signatures.  It may use a remote (= slow) service.
 	GetSignatures() ([][]byte, error)
 	// Delete image from registry, if operation is supported