diff --git a/drivers/overlay/check.go b/drivers/overlay/check.go
index 60980994b2..d8139f6566 100644
--- a/drivers/overlay/check.go
+++ b/drivers/overlay/check.go
@@ -275,3 +275,36 @@ func supportsIdmappedLowerLayers(home string) (bool, error) {
 	}()
 	return true, nil
 }
+
+// supportsDataOnlyLayers checks if the kernel supports mounting a overlay file system
+// that uses data-only layers.
+func supportsDataOnlyLayers(home string) (bool, error) {
+	layerDir, err := os.MkdirTemp(home, "compat")
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		_ = os.RemoveAll(layerDir)
+	}()
+
+	mergedDir := filepath.Join(layerDir, "merged")
+	lowerDir := filepath.Join(layerDir, "lower")
+	lowerDirDataOnly := filepath.Join(layerDir, "lower-data")
+	upperDir := filepath.Join(layerDir, "upper")
+	workDir := filepath.Join(layerDir, "work")
+
+	_ = idtools.MkdirAs(mergedDir, 0o700, 0, 0)
+	_ = idtools.MkdirAs(lowerDir, 0o700, 0, 0)
+	_ = idtools.MkdirAs(lowerDirDataOnly, 0o700, 0, 0)
+	_ = idtools.MkdirAs(upperDir, 0o700, 0, 0)
+	_ = idtools.MkdirAs(workDir, 0o700, 0, 0)
+
+	opts := fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s::%s,upperdir=%s,workdir=%s,metacopy=on", lowerDir, lowerDirDataOnly, upperDir, workDir)
+	flags := uintptr(0)
+	if err := unix.Mount("overlay", mergedDir, "overlay", flags, opts); err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	_ = unix.Unmount(mergedDir, unix.MNT_DETACH)
+
+	return true, nil
+}
diff --git a/drivers/overlay/mount.go b/drivers/overlay/mount.go
index 33e60b1189..bc052f33b4 100644
--- a/drivers/overlay/mount.go
+++ b/drivers/overlay/mount.go
@@ -141,14 +141,27 @@ func mountOverlayFromMain() {
 	// the new value for the list of lowers, because it's shorter.
 	if lowerv != "" {
 		lowers := strings.Split(lowerv, ":")
+		var newLowers []string
+		dataOnly := false
 		for i := range lowers {
+			if lowers[i] == "" {
+				dataOnly = true
+				continue
+			}
 			lowerFd, err := unix.Open(lowers[i], unix.O_RDONLY, 0)
 			if err != nil {
 				fatal(err)
 			}
-			lowers[i] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", lowerFd)
+			var lower string
+			if dataOnly {
+				lower = fmt.Sprintf(":%d", lowerFd)
+				dataOnly = false
+			} else {
+				lower = fmt.Sprintf("%d", lowerFd)
+			}
+			newLowers = append(newLowers, lower)
 		}
-		lowerv = strings.Join(lowers, ":")
+		lowerv = strings.Join(newLowers, ":")
 	}
 
 	// Reconstruct the Label field.
diff --git a/drivers/overlay/overlay.go b/drivers/overlay/overlay.go
index 91ca273de0..568398bc7f 100644
--- a/drivers/overlay/overlay.go
+++ b/drivers/overlay/overlay.go
@@ -1657,8 +1657,6 @@ func (d *Driver) get(id string, disableShifting bool, options graphdriver.MountO
 		optsList = append(optsList, "metacopy=on", "redirect_dir=on")
 	}
 
-	absLowers = append(absLowers, composeFsLayers...)
-
 	if len(absLowers) == 0 {
 		absLowers = append(absLowers, path.Join(dir, "empty"))
 	}
@@ -1752,11 +1750,20 @@ func (d *Driver) get(id string, disableShifting bool, options graphdriver.MountO
 		absLowers = newAbsDir
 	}
 
+	lowerDirs := strings.Join(absLowers, ":")
+	if len(composeFsLayers) > 0 {
+		composeFsLayersLowerDirs := strings.Join(composeFsLayers, "::")
+		lowerDirs = lowerDirs + "::" + composeFsLayersLowerDirs
+	}
+	// absLowers is not valid anymore now as we have added composeFsLayers to it, so prevent
+	// its usage.
+	absLowers = nil //nolint:ineffassign
+
 	var opts string
 	if readWrite {
-		opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s,upperdir=%s,workdir=%s", strings.Join(absLowers, ":"), diffDir, workdir)
+		opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s,upperdir=%s,workdir=%s", lowerDirs, diffDir, workdir)
 	} else {
-		opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s:%s", diffDir, strings.Join(absLowers, ":"))
+		opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s:%s", diffDir, lowerDirs)
 	}
 	if len(optsList) > 0 {
 		opts = fmt.Sprintf("%s,%s", opts, strings.Join(optsList, ","))
@@ -1800,9 +1807,9 @@ func (d *Driver) get(id string, disableShifting bool, options graphdriver.MountO
 		if readWrite {
 			diffDir := path.Join(id, "diff")
 			workDir := path.Join(id, "work")
-			opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s,upperdir=%s,workdir=%s", strings.Join(absLowers, ":"), diffDir, workDir)
+			opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s,upperdir=%s,workdir=%s", lowerDirs, diffDir, workDir)
 		} else {
-			opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s:%s", diffDir, strings.Join(absLowers, ":"))
+			opts = fmt.Sprintf("lowerdir=%s:%s", diffDir, lowerDirs)
 		}
 		if len(optsList) > 0 {
 			opts = strings.Join(append([]string{opts}, optsList...), ",")
@@ -2009,11 +2016,34 @@ func (d *Driver) CleanupStagingDirectory(stagingDirectory string) error {
 	return os.RemoveAll(stagingDirectory)
 }
 
+func (d *Driver) supportsDataOnlyLayers() (bool, error) {
+	feature := "dataonly-layers"
+	overlayCacheResult, overlayCacheText, err := cachedFeatureCheck(d.runhome, feature)
+	if err == nil {
+		if overlayCacheResult {
+			logrus.Debugf("Cached value indicated that data-only layers for overlay are supported")
+			return true, nil
+		}
+		logrus.Debugf("Cached value indicated that data-only layers for overlay are not supported")
+		return false, errors.New(overlayCacheText)
+	}
+	supportsDataOnly, err := supportsDataOnlyLayers(d.home)
+	if err2 := cachedFeatureRecord(d.runhome, feature, supportsDataOnly, ""); err2 != nil {
+		return false, fmt.Errorf("recording overlay data-only layers support status: %w", err2)
+	}
+	return supportsDataOnly, err
+}
+
 func (d *Driver) useComposeFs() bool {
 	if !composeFsSupported() || unshare.IsRootless() {
 		return false
 	}
-	return true
+	supportsDataOnlyLayers, err := d.supportsDataOnlyLayers()
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Debugf("Check for data-only layers failed with: %v", err)
+		return true
+	}
+	return supportsDataOnlyLayers
 }
 
 // ApplyDiff applies the changes in the new layer using the specified function