diff --git a/pkg/spegel/spegel.go b/pkg/spegel/spegel.go
index fba456edfce..3b524be7b2e 100644
--- a/pkg/spegel/spegel.go
+++ b/pkg/spegel/spegel.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ var (
 
 	resolveLatestTag = false
 
+	wildcardRegistries = []string{"_default", "*"}
+
 	// Agents request a list of peers when joining, and then again periodically afterwards.
 	// Limit the number of concurrent peer list requests that will be served simultaneously.
 	maxNonMutatingPeerInfoRequests = 20 // max concurrent get/list/watch requests
@@ -123,6 +126,9 @@ func (c *Config) Start(ctx context.Context, nodeConfig *config.Node, criReadyCha
 		}
 		if _, err := url.Parse("https://" + host); err != nil || docker.IsLocalhost(host) {
 			logrus.Errorf("Distributed registry mirror skipping invalid registry: %s", host)
+		} else if slices.Contains(wildcardRegistries, host) {
+			urls = append(urls, host)
+			registries = append(registries, host)
 		} else {
 			urls = append(urls, "https://"+host)
 			registries = append(registries, host)
diff --git a/pkg/spegel/store.go b/pkg/spegel/store.go
index ee3e79f9833..c655f17aa68 100644
--- a/pkg/spegel/store.go
+++ b/pkg/spegel/store.go
@@ -80,10 +80,12 @@ func (ds *deferredStore) Subscribe(ctx context.Context) (<-chan oci.OCIEvent, er
 
 // Close is not part of the Store interface, but probably should be. Containerd impliments it.
 func (ds *deferredStore) Close() error {
-	store := ds.store
-	ds.store = nil
-	if closer, ok := store.(io.Closer); ok {
-		return closer.Close()
+	if ds.store != nil {
+		store := ds.store
+		ds.store = nil
+		if closer, ok := store.(io.Closer); ok {
+			return closer.Close()
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }