diff --git a/docs/buildah-build.1.md b/docs/buildah-build.1.md
index dce977a48f5..203a35e8562 100644
--- a/docs/buildah-build.1.md
+++ b/docs/buildah-build.1.md
@@ -49,6 +49,19 @@ Instead of building for a set of platforms specified using the **--platform** op
 Add an image *annotation* (e.g. annotation=*value*) to the image metadata. Can be used multiple times.
 If *annotation* is named, but neither `=` nor a `value` is provided, then the *annotation* is set to an empty value.
 
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "manifest:", the prefix will be stripped from it and the annotation will
+be added to the built image(s).
+
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "manifest-descriptor:", and the **--manifest** flag is being used, the prefix will
+be stripped from it and the annotation will be set on new entries which are added to the list of instances in the image index
+instead of to the image metadata.  If the **--manifest** flag is not being used, this will trigger an error.
+
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "index:", and the **--manifest** flag is being used, the prefix will be stripped
+from it and the annotation will be set in the image index instead of in the image metadata.  If the **--manifest** flag is not being used, this value will trigger an error.
+
+One or more of the "manifest:", "manifest-descriptor:", and "index:" prefixes can be combined
+into a comma-separated list, for example as "manifest,manifest-descriptor:".
+
 Note: this information is not present in Docker image formats, so it is discarded when writing images in Docker formats.
 
 **--arch**="ARCH"
@@ -1125,6 +1138,9 @@ include:
 
 Unset the image annotation, causing the annotation not to be inherited from the base image.
 
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "manifest:", the prefix will be stripped from it and
+the rest of the argument will be treated as the name of the annotation.
+
 **--unsetenv** *env*
 
 Unset environment variables from the final image.
diff --git a/docs/buildah-commit.1.md b/docs/buildah-commit.1.md
index a69429823bf..1e087cb95bf 100644
--- a/docs/buildah-commit.1.md
+++ b/docs/buildah-commit.1.md
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ if it is specified.  This option can be specified multiple times.
 Add an image *annotation* (e.g. annotation=*value*) to the image metadata. Can be used multiple times.
 If *annotation* is named, but neither `=` nor a `value` is provided, then the *annotation* is set to an empty value.
 
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "manifest:", the prefix will be stripped from it.
+
 Note: this information is not present in Docker image formats, so it is discarded when writing images in Docker formats.
 
 **--authfile** *path*
@@ -371,6 +373,8 @@ Require HTTPS and verification of certificates when talking to container registr
 
 Unset the image annotation, causing the annotation not to be inherited from the base image.
 
+If the annotation name is prefixed with "manifest:", the prefix will be stripped from it.
+
 **--unsetenv** *env*
 
 Unset environment variables from the final image.
diff --git a/image.go b/image.go
index 998076b6e4d..5a91c9fc962 100644
--- a/image.go
+++ b/image.go
@@ -607,10 +607,24 @@ func (i *containerImageRef) newOCIManifestBuilder() (manifestBuilder, error) {
 		annotations[v1.AnnotationCreated] = created.UTC().Format(time.RFC3339Nano)
 	}
 	for _, k := range i.unsetAnnotations {
+		levelSpec, key, levelsSpecified := strings.Cut(k, ":")
+		if levelsSpecified {
+			k = key
+			if !slices.Contains(strings.Split(levelSpec, ","), "manifest") {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't unset non-manifest (%q) annotation %q", levelSpec, k)
+			}
+		}
 		delete(annotations, k)
 	}
 	for _, kv := range i.setAnnotations {
 		k, v, _ := strings.Cut(kv, "=")
+		levelSpec, key, levelsSpecified := strings.Cut(k, ":")
+		if levelsSpecified {
+			k = key
+			if !slices.Contains(strings.Split(levelSpec, ","), "manifest") {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("can't set non-manifest (%q) annotation %q", levelSpec, k)
+			}
+		}
 		annotations[k] = v
 	}
 	return &ociManifestBuilder{
diff --git a/imagebuildah/build.go b/imagebuildah/build.go
index eb3c5e2409d..4aec108087c 100644
--- a/imagebuildah/build.go
+++ b/imagebuildah/build.go
@@ -64,6 +64,59 @@ type Mount = specs.Mount
 
 type BuildOptions = define.BuildOptions
 
+// selectAnnotations selects annotations that were meant for a particular level, and
+// returns them in bare "k=v" form, without the levels (list) prefix
+func selectAnnotations(inputs []string, level string, includeNoLevels bool) []string {
+	if len(inputs) == 0 {
+		return slices.Clone(inputs)
+	}
+	var s []string
+	for _, kv := range inputs {
+		k, v, equals := strings.Cut(kv, "=")
+		levelSpec, key, levelSpecified := strings.Cut(k, ":")
+		if levelSpecified {
+			if !slices.Contains(strings.Split(levelSpec, ","), level) {
+				continue
+			}
+			k = key
+		} else {
+			if !includeNoLevels {
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+		if equals {
+			s = append(s, k+"="+v)
+		} else {
+			s = append(s, k)
+		}
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
+// requireAnnotationLevels checks if there are any annotations that were meant for levels other than
+// those that were passed in, and returns an error if it finds any
+func requireAnnotationLevels(inputs []string, allowedLevels []string) error {
+	if len(inputs) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	const noLevel = "manifest"
+	allowedFunc := func(s string) bool { return slices.Contains(allowedLevels, s) }
+	for _, kv := range inputs {
+		k, _, _ := strings.Cut(kv, "=")
+		levelSpec, _, levelSpecified := strings.Cut(k, ":")
+		if levelSpecified {
+			if !slices.ContainsFunc(strings.Split(levelSpec, ","), allowedFunc) {
+				return fmt.Errorf("disallowed annotation level %q in %q: only %q allowed", levelSpec, k, allowedLevels)
+			}
+		} else {
+			if !allowedFunc(noLevel) {
+				return fmt.Errorf("disallowed unspecified annotation level %q in %q", noLevel, k)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // BuildDockerfiles parses a set of one or more Dockerfiles (which may be
 // URLs), creates one or more new Executors, and then runs
 // Prepare/Execute/Commit/Delete over the entire set of instructions.
@@ -188,6 +241,22 @@ func BuildDockerfiles(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options define.B
 		}
 	}
 
+	if options.Manifest != "" {
+		if err := requireAnnotationLevels(options.Annotations, []string{"manifest", "manifest-descriptor", "index"}); err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
+		if err := requireAnnotationLevels(options.UnsetAnnotations, []string{"manifest"}); err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		if err := requireAnnotationLevels(options.Annotations, []string{"manifest"}); err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
+		if err := requireAnnotationLevels(options.UnsetAnnotations, []string{"manifest"}); err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	manifestList := options.Manifest
 	options.Manifest = ""
 	type instance struct {
@@ -264,6 +333,8 @@ func BuildDockerfiles(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options define.B
 		platformOptions.SystemContext = &platformContext
 		platformOptions.OS = platformContext.OSChoice
 		platformOptions.Architecture = platformContext.ArchitectureChoice
+		platformOptions.Annotations = selectAnnotations(options.Annotations, "manifest", true)
+		platformOptions.UnsetAnnotations = selectAnnotations(options.UnsetAnnotations, "manifest", true)
 		logPrefix := ""
 		if len(options.Platforms) > 1 {
 			logPrefix = "[" + platforms.Format(platformSpec) + "] "
@@ -358,9 +429,59 @@ func BuildDockerfiles(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options define.B
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", nil, err
 		}
+		// In case it already exists, pull up its annotations.
+		inspectData, err := list.Inspect()
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
+		// If we're adding annotations to the index, add them now.
+		indexAnnotations := maps.Clone(inspectData.Annotations)
+		for _, k := range selectAnnotations(options.UnsetAnnotations, "index", false) {
+			delete(indexAnnotations, k)
+		}
+		for _, kv := range selectAnnotations(options.Annotations, "index", false) {
+			k, v, _ := strings.Cut(kv, "=")
+			if v != "" {
+				if indexAnnotations == nil {
+					indexAnnotations = make(map[string]string)
+				}
+				indexAnnotations[k] = v
+			} else {
+				delete(indexAnnotations, k)
+			}
+		}
+		err = list.AnnotateInstance("", &libimage.ManifestListAnnotateOptions{
+			IndexAnnotations: indexAnnotations,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", nil, err
+		}
 		// Add each instance to the list in turn.
 		storeTransportName := istorage.Transport.Name()
 		for _, instance := range instances {
+			// If we're adding annotations to the instance, build them now.
+			var instanceAnnotations map[string]string
+			for _, k := range selectAnnotations(options.UnsetAnnotations, "manifest-descriptor", false) {
+				delete(instanceAnnotations, k)
+			}
+			for _, kv := range selectAnnotations(options.Annotations, "manifest-descriptor", false) {
+				k, v, _ := strings.Cut(kv, "=")
+				if v != "" {
+					if instanceAnnotations == nil {
+						instanceAnnotations = make(map[string]string)
+					}
+					instanceAnnotations[k] = v
+				} else {
+					delete(instanceAnnotations, k)
+				}
+			}
+			err = list.AnnotateInstance("", &libimage.ManifestListAnnotateOptions{
+				IndexAnnotations: indexAnnotations,
+			})
+			if err != nil {
+				return "", nil, err
+			}
+			// Add the instance and set the things we want to set in it.
 			instanceDigest, err := list.Add(ctx, storeTransportName+":"+instance.ID, nil)
 			if err != nil {
 				return "", nil, err
@@ -369,6 +490,7 @@ func BuildDockerfiles(ctx context.Context, store storage.Store, options define.B
 				Architecture: instance.Architecture,
 				OS:           instance.OS,
 				Variant:      instance.Variant,
+				Annotations:  instanceAnnotations,
 			})
 			if err != nil {
 				return "", nil, err
diff --git a/tests/bud.bats b/tests/bud.bats
index f44690f82b0..8322427393d 100644
--- a/tests/bud.bats
+++ b/tests/bud.bats
@@ -8844,3 +8844,94 @@ _EOF
   run_buildah build --layers ${contextdir}
   run_buildah build ${contextdir}
 }
+
+@test "bud-with-annotation-levels" {
+  _prefetch busybox
+  local contextdir=${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/context
+  mkdir $contextdir
+  cat > $contextdir/Dockerfile << EOF
+FROM busybox
+RUN pwd > pwd.txt
+EOF
+  cat > $contextdir/Dockerfile2 << EOF
+FROM localhost/foo
+RUN pwd > pwd.txt
+EOF
+  for level in "" manifest: manifest-descriptor: index: ; do
+    local annotation=a=b
+    run_buildah build --annotation ${level}${annotation} --annotation image=annotation --annotation manifest:manifest=annotation --manifest foo ${contextdir}
+    case "$level" in
+      "manifest:")
+        run_buildah inspect -t image foo
+        run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = ${annotation##*=}
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.manifests[0].annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        ;;
+      "manifest-descriptor:")
+        run_buildah inspect -t image foo
+        run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.manifests[0].annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = ${annotation##*=}
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        ;;
+      "index:")
+        run_buildah inspect -t image foo
+        run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.manifests[0].annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = null
+        run_buildah manifest inspect foo
+        run jq -r '.annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+        assert $status = 0
+        assert "$output" = ${annotation##*=}
+        ;;
+    esac
+    run_buildah build --unsetannotation ${annotation%%=*} --manifest foo2 -f ${contextdir}/Dockerfile2 ${contextdir}
+    run_buildah inspect -t image foo2
+    run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' <<< "$output"
+    assert $status = 0
+    assert "$output" = null
+    run_buildah inspect -t image foo2
+    run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["image"]' <<< "$output"
+    assert $status = 0
+    assert "$output" = annotation
+    run_buildah inspect -t image foo2
+    run jq -r '.ImageAnnotations["manifest"]' <<< "$output"
+    assert $status = 0
+    assert "$output" = annotation
+    run_buildah manifest rm foo2
+    run_buildah manifest rm foo
+  done
+  run_buildah 125 build --annotation manifest-descriptor:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --annotation index:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --unsetannotation index:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --annotation index-descriptor:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --unsetannotation index-descriptor:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --annotation made-up:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+  run_buildah 125 build --unsetannotation made-up:a=b ${contextdir}
+  assert "$output" =~ "disallowed annotation level"
+}
diff --git a/tests/commit.bats b/tests/commit.bats
index 942897e1bb0..47f475bdb91 100644
--- a/tests/commit.bats
+++ b/tests/commit.bats
@@ -624,3 +624,35 @@ load helpers
     fi
   done
 }
+
+@test "commit-with-annotation-levels" {
+  _prefetch busybox
+  run_buildah from -q busybox
+  local cid="$output"
+  for level in "" manifest: ; do
+    for annotation in a=b c=d ; do
+      local subdir=${level%:}${annotation%%=*}
+      run_buildah commit --annotation ${level}${annotation} "$cid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/$subdir
+      local manifest=${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/$subdir/$(oci_image_manifest ${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/$subdir)
+      run jq -r '.annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' "$manifest"
+      assert $status -eq 0
+      echo "$output"
+      assert "$output" = ${annotation##*=}
+      run_buildah from --quiet oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/$subdir
+      subcid="$output"
+      run_buildah commit --unsetannotation ${level}${annotation%%=*} "$subcid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/cleaned-$subdir
+      manifest=${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/cleaned-$subdir/$(oci_image_manifest ${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/cleaned-$subdir)
+      run jq -r '.annotations["'${annotation%%=*}'"]' "$manifest"
+      echo "$output"
+      assert "$output" = null
+    done
+  done
+  run_buildah 125 commit --annotation manifest-descriptor:a=b "$cid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/nonce
+  assert "$output" =~ "can't set non-manifest.*annotation"
+  run_buildah 125 commit --annotation index:a=b "$cid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/nonce
+  assert "$output" =~ "can't set non-manifest.*annotation"
+  run_buildah 125 commit --annotation index-descriptor:a=b "$cid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/nonce
+  assert "$output" =~ "can't set non-manifest.*annotation"
+  run_buildah 125 commit --annotation made-up:a=b "$cid" oci:${TEST_SCRATCH_DIR}/nonce
+  assert "$output" =~ "can't set non-manifest.*annotation"
+}