diff --git a/pkgs/applications/virtualization/docker/distribution.nix b/pkgs/applications/virtualization/docker/distribution.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a22aa0fafbf..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/applications/virtualization/docker/distribution.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-{ lib, buildGoPackage, fetchFromGitHub }:
-
-buildGoPackage rec {
-  pname = "distribution";
-  version = "2.8.3";
-  rev = "v${version}";
-
-  goPackagePath = "github.com/docker/distribution";
-
-  src = fetchFromGitHub {
-    owner = "docker";
-    repo = "distribution";
-    inherit rev;
-    sha256 = "sha256-6/clOTkI1JnDjb+crcHmjbQlaqffP/sntGqUB2ftajU=";
-  };
-
-  meta = with lib; {
-    description = "Docker toolset to pack, ship, store, and deliver content";
-    license = licenses.asl20;
-    maintainers = [];
-    platforms = platforms.unix;
-  };
-}
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/di/distribution/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/di/distribution/package.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9da917b51218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/di/distribution/package.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+{ lib
+, buildGoModule
+, fetchFromGitHub
+, fetchpatch
+, nix-update-script
+, testers
+, distribution
+}:
+
+buildGoModule rec {
+  pname = "distribution";
+  version = "3.0.0-alpha.1";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "distribution";
+    repo = "distribution";
+    rev = "v${version}";
+    hash = "sha256-reguAtBkEC9OMUTdCtFY6l0fkk28VoA0IlPcQ0sz84I=";
+  };
+
+  patches = [
+    # fix: load gcs credentials and client inside DriverConstructor
+    # Needed to pass the tests. Remove with next update.
+    (fetchpatch {
+      url = "https://github.com/distribution/distribution/commit/14366a2dff6a8f595e39d258085381731b43cec6.diff";
+      hash = "sha256-0ns9JuIeLBzRLMVxY6uaWTIYcRRbuwQ+n9tmK+Pvf4U=";
+    })
+    # fix: add missing skip in s3 driver test
+    # Needed to pass the tests. Remove with next update.
+    (fetchpatch {
+      url = "https://github.com/distribution/distribution/commit/6908e0d5facd31ed32046df03a09040c964be0b3.patch";
+      hash = "sha256-ww+BwBGw+dkZ2FhVzynehR+sNYCgq8/KkPDP9ac6NWg=";
+    })
+  ];
+
+  vendorHash = null;
+
+  checkFlags = [
+    # TestHTTPChecker: requires internet access.
+    # TestInMemoryDriverSuite: timeout after 10 minutes, looks like a deadlock.
+    "-skip=^TestHTTPChecker$|^TestInMemoryDriverSuite$"
+  ];
+
+  passthru = {
+    tests.version = testers.testVersion {
+      package = distribution;
+      version = "v${version}";
+    };
+    updateScript = nix-update-script { };
+  };
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    description = "Toolkit to pack, ship, store, and deliver container content";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Distribution is a Open Source Registry implementation for storing and distributing container
+      images and other content using the OCI Distribution Specification. The goal of this project
+      is to provide a simple, secure, and scalable base for building a large scale registry solution
+      or running a simple private registry.
+    '';
+    homepage = "https://distribution.github.io/distribution/";
+    changelog = "https://github.com/distribution/distribution/releases/tag/v${version}";
+    license = licenses.asl20;
+    maintainers = [ ];
+    mainProgram = "registry";
+    platforms = platforms.unix;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/aliases.nix b/pkgs/top-level/aliases.nix
index b107ad5da187..6609a49b3191 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/aliases.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/aliases.nix
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ mapAliases ({
   dhcp = throw "dhcp (ISC DHCP) has been removed from nixpkgs, because it reached its end of life"; # Added 2023-04-04
   dibbler = throw "dibbler was removed because it is not maintained anymore"; # Added 2024-05-14
   dnnl = oneDNN; # Added 2020-04-22
+  docker-distribution = distribution; # Added 2023-12-26
   docker-machine = throw "'docker-machine' has been removed, because the upstream project was archived"; # Added 2023-12-27
   docker-machine-kvm = throw "'docker-machine-kvm' has been removed, because 'docker-machine' was archived upstream and removed"; # Added 2023-12-27
   docker-machine-xhyve = throw "'docker-machine-xhyve' has been removed, because 'docker-machine' was archived upstream and removed"; # Added 2023-12-27
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 51f100068cf2..f4eb965e1b14 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -30201,8 +30201,6 @@ with pkgs;
   docker-machine-hyperkit = callPackage ../applications/networking/cluster/docker-machine/hyperkit.nix { };
   docker-machine-kvm2 = callPackage ../applications/networking/cluster/docker-machine/kvm2.nix { };
 
-  docker-distribution = callPackage ../applications/virtualization/docker/distribution.nix { };
-
   dockfmt = callPackage ../development/tools/dockfmt { };
 
   afterburn = callPackage ../tools/admin/afterburn { };