diff --git a/tests-extension/Makefile b/tests-extension/Makefile
index 1b1e8d0fa8..44ed2a3699 100644
--- a/tests-extension/Makefile
+++ b/tests-extension/Makefile
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ lint: $(GOLANGCI_LINT) #HELP Run golangci linter.
 fix-lint: $(GOLANGCI_LINT) #HELP Fix lint issues
 	$(GOLANGCI_LINT) run --fix
 
+.PHONY: verify-images-json
+verify-images-json: #HELP Verify that 'images' subcommand outputs valid JSON (no log pollution)
+	@./hack/verify-images-json.sh $(TOOLS_BIN_DIR)/olmv0-tests-ext
+
 # Bindata generation
 .PHONY: bindata
 bindata: $(GO_BINDATA)
diff --git a/tests-extension/hack/verify-images-json.sh b/tests-extension/hack/verify-images-json.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..2599a2adf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-extension/hack/verify-images-json.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# verify-images-json.sh
+#
+# Verifies that the 'images' subcommand outputs valid JSON without log pollution.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./hack/verify-images-json.sh [path-to-binary]
+#
+# Example:
+#   ./hack/verify-images-json.sh ./bin/olmv0-tests-ext
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/.." && pwd)"
+
+# Default binary path
+BINARY="${1:-${PROJECT_ROOT}/bin/olmv0-tests-ext}"
+
+echo "Verifying olmv0-tests-ext images output is valid JSON..."
+
+# Check if binary exists
+if [[ ! -f "${BINARY}" ]]; then
+    echo -e "ERROR: Binary not found at: ${BINARY}"
+    echo "Please run 'make build' first."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Run the images command and capture all output (stdout + stderr)
+output=$("${BINARY}" images 2>&1)
+
+# Create temporary directory for Go validation program
+tmpdir=$(mktemp -d)
+trap 'rm -rf "${tmpdir}"' EXIT
+
+# Write Go validation program to temporary file
+cat > "${tmpdir}/validate.go" <<'GO_CODE'
+package main
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if !json.Valid(data) {
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+GO_CODE
+
+# Validate JSON using Go's json.Valid function
+# This matches exactly what binary.go:548 does (json.Unmarshal)
+if ! echo "${output}" | go run "${tmpdir}/validate.go" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo -e "ERROR: 'olmv0-tests-ext images' output is not valid JSON!"
+    echo "This usually means log statements are polluting the JSON output."
+    echo ""
+    echo "Output was:"
+    echo "----------------------------------------"
+    echo "${output}"
+    echo "----------------------------------------"
+    echo ""
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo -e "olmv0-tests-ext images output is valid JSON"
+exit 0