@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ func (l *tarexporter) Load(inTar io.ReadCloser, outStream io.Writer, quiet bool)

 		if err != nil {

 			return err

 		}

+		if err := checkCompatibleOS(img.OS); err != nil {

+			return err

+		}

 		var rootFS image.RootFS

 		rootFS = *img.RootFS

 		rootFS.DiffIDs = nil

@@ -292,11 +295,18 @@ func (l *tarexporter) legacyLoadImage(oldID, sourceDir string, loadedMap map[str

 		return err

 	}

-	var img struct{ Parent string }

+	var img struct {

+		OS     string

+		Parent string

+	}

 	if err := json.Unmarshal(imageJSON, &img); err != nil {

 		return err

 	}

+	if err := checkCompatibleOS(img.OS); err != nil {

+		return err

+	}

+

 	var parentID image.ID

 	if img.Parent != "" {

 		for {

@@ -402,3 +412,20 @@ func checkValidParent(img, parent *image.Image) bool {

 	}

 	return true

 }

+

+func checkCompatibleOS(os string) error {

+	// TODO @jhowardmsft LCOW - revisit for simultaneous platforms

+	platform := runtime.GOOS

+	if system.LCOWSupported() {

+		platform = "linux"

+	}

+	// always compatible if the OS matches; also match an empty OS

+	if os == platform || os == "" {

+		return nil

+	}

+	// for compatibility, only fail if the image or runtime OS is Windows

+	if os == "windows" || platform == "windows" {

+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot load %s image on %s", os, platform)

+	}

+	return nil

+}