diff --git a/man/os-release.xml b/man/os-release.xml
index a7c60183ae..6be96cf8bc 100644
--- a/man/os-release.xml
+++ b/man/os-release.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
   <refnamediv>
     <refname>os-release</refname>
     <refname>initrd-release</refname>
+    <refname>extension-release</refname>
     <refpurpose>Operating system identification</refpurpose>
   </refnamediv>
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@
     <para><filename>/etc/os-release</filename></para>
     <para><filename>/usr/lib/os-release</filename></para>
     <para><filename>/etc/initrd-release</filename></para>
+    <para><filename>/usr/lib/extension-release.d/extension-release.<replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable></filename></para>
   </refsynopsisdiv>
 
   <refsect1>
@@ -94,6 +96,28 @@
       above) work correctly. The rest of this document that talks about <filename>os-release</filename>
       should be understood to apply to <filename>initrd-release</filename> too.</para>
     </refsect2>
+
+    <refsect2>
+      <title><filename>/usr/lib/extension-release.d/extension-release.<replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable></filename></title>
+
+      <para><filename>/usr/lib/extension-release.d/extension-release.<replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable></filename>
+      for extension images plays the same role as <filename>os-release</filename> in the main system, and follows the
+      same syntax and rules as described in the <ulink url="https://systemd.io/PORTABLE_SERVICES">Portable Services Documentation</ulink>.
+      The purpose of this file is to allow the operating system to correctly match an extension image
+      to a base OS image, This is typically implemented by first checking that the <varname>ID=</varname>
+      options match, and if they do either <varname>SYSEXT_LEVEL=</varname> has to match too (preferred), or
+      as a fallback if that is not present <varname>VERSION_ID=</varname> is checked. This ensures that ABI/API
+      between the layers matches and no incompatible images are merged in an overlay.
+      It is preferred that the <filename>extension-release.<replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable></filename> filename is suffixed
+      with the exact file name of the image that contains it, so that all such files in every layer of an overlay are visible.
+      But for the purpose of parsing metadata, in case it is not possible to guarantee that an image file name is stable
+      and doesn't change between the build and the deployment phases, the first and only file which name starts with
+      <filename>extension-release.</filename>, is located in the same directory and is tagged with a
+      <varname>user.extension-release.strict</varname> <citerefentry><refentrytitle>xattr</refentrytitle><manvolnum>7</manvolnum></citerefentry>
+      set to the string <literal>0</literal>, will be parsed instead, if the one with the expected name cannot be found.
+      The rest of this document that talks about <filename>os-release</filename> should be understood to apply to
+      <filename>extension-release</filename> too.</para>
+    </refsect2>
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
@@ -373,7 +397,8 @@
 
           <listitem><para>A lower-case string (mostly numeric, no spaces or other characters outside of 0–9,
           a–z, ".", "_" and "-") identifying the operating system extensions support level, to indicate which
-          extension images are supported. See
+          extension images are supported. See <filename>/usr/lib/extension-release.d/extension-release.<replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable></filename>,
+          <ulink url="https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/admin-guide/initrd.html">initrd</ulink> and
           <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd-sysext</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry>)
           for more information.</para>
 
@@ -436,6 +461,13 @@ VARIANT="Workstation Edition"
 VARIANT_ID=workstation</programlisting>
     </example>
 
+    <example>
+      <title><filename>extension-release</filename> file for an extension for Fedora Workstation 32</title>
+
+      <programlisting>ID=fedora
+VERSION_ID=32</programlisting>
+    </example>
+
     <example>
       <title>Reading <filename>os-release</filename> in
       <citerefentry><refentrytitle>sh</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry></title>
diff --git a/man/portablectl.xml b/man/portablectl.xml
index d798219d45..c5404db0ba 100644
--- a/man/portablectl.xml
+++ b/man/portablectl.xml
@@ -359,7 +359,11 @@
         top of <replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable> when attaching/detaching. This argument can be specified
         multiple times, in which case the order in which images are laid down follows the rules specified in
         <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.exec</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>
-        for the <varname>ExtensionImages=</varname> directive.</para>
+        for the <varname>ExtensionImages=</varname> directive. The image(s) must contain an
+        <filename>extension-release</filename> file with metadata that matches what is defined in the
+        <filename>os-release</filename> of <replaceable>IMAGE</replaceable>. See:
+        <citerefentry><refentrytitle>os-release</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.
+        </para>
 
         <para>Note that the same extensions have to be specified, in the same order, when attaching
         and detaching.</para></listitem>
diff --git a/man/systemd.exec.xml b/man/systemd.exec.xml
index 008cbe9af1..eadfc02421 100644
--- a/man/systemd.exec.xml
+++ b/man/systemd.exec.xml
@@ -428,6 +428,11 @@
         paths. If the empty string is assigned, the entire list of mount paths defined prior to this is
         reset.</para>
 
+        <para>Each image must carry a <filename>/usr/lib/extension-release.d/extension-release.IMAGE</filename>
+        file, with the appropriate metadata which matches <varname>RootImage=</varname>/<varname>RootDirectory=</varname>
+        or the host. See:
+        <citerefentry><refentrytitle>os-release</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.</para>
+
         <para>When <varname>DevicePolicy=</varname> is set to <literal>closed</literal> or
         <literal>strict</literal>, or set to <literal>auto</literal> and <varname>DeviceAllow=</varname> is
         set, then this setting adds <filename>/dev/loop-control</filename> with <constant>rw</constant> mode,