diff --git a/cache/manager_test.go b/cache/manager_test.go
index 4af3ef63c822..d70cafa41f81 100644
--- a/cache/manager_test.go
+++ b/cache/manager_test.go
@@ -1266,10 +1266,6 @@ func TestSharingCompressionVariant(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer cleanup()
 
-	ctx, done, err := leaseutil.WithLease(ctx, co.lm, leaseutil.MakeTemporary)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer done(context.TODO())
-
 	allCompressions := []compression.Type{compression.Uncompressed, compression.Gzip, compression.Zstd, compression.EStargz}
 
 	do := func(test func(testCaseSharingCompressionVariant)) {
@@ -1382,7 +1378,7 @@ func testSharingCompressionVariant(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, co *cmOut,
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		defer aRef.Release(ctx)
 		var bDesc ocispecs.Descriptor
-		for _, compressionType := range testCase.aVariants {
+		for _, compressionType := range append([]compression.Type{testCase.a}, testCase.aVariants...) {
 			remotes, err := aRef.GetRemotes(ctx, true, config.RefConfig{Compression: compression.New(compressionType).SetForce(true)}, false, nil)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.Equal(t, 1, len(remotes))
@@ -1395,7 +1391,7 @@ func testSharingCompressionVariant(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T, co *cmOut,
 		bRef, err := cm.GetByBlob(ctx, bDesc, nil, descHandlers)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		defer bRef.Release(ctx)
-		for _, compressionType := range testCase.bVariants {
+		for _, compressionType := range append([]compression.Type{testCase.b}, testCase.bVariants...) {
 			remotes, err := bRef.GetRemotes(ctx, true, config.RefConfig{Compression: compression.New(compressionType).SetForce(true)}, false, nil)
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 			require.Equal(t, 1, len(remotes))
diff --git a/cache/refs.go b/cache/refs.go
index f7224380b8bc..c937dd1bfa98 100644
--- a/cache/refs.go
+++ b/cache/refs.go
@@ -308,6 +308,10 @@ func (cr *cacheRecord) viewLeaseID() string {
 	return cr.ID() + "-view"
 }
 
+func (cr *cacheRecord) compressionVariantsLeaseID() string {
+	return cr.ID() + "-variants"
+}
+
 func (cr *cacheRecord) viewSnapshotID() string {
 	return cr.getSnapshotID() + "-view"
 }
@@ -438,6 +442,11 @@ func (cr *cacheRecord) remove(ctx context.Context, removeSnapshot bool) error {
 		}); err != nil && !errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to delete lease for %s", cr.ID())
 		}
+		if err := cr.cm.LeaseManager.Delete(ctx, leases.Lease{
+			ID: cr.compressionVariantsLeaseID(),
+		}); err != nil && !errdefs.IsNotFound(err) {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to delete compression variant lease for %s", cr.ID())
+		}
 	}
 	if err := cr.cm.MetadataStore.Clear(cr.ID()); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to delete metadata of %s", cr.ID())
@@ -699,6 +708,19 @@ const (
 // this ref. This doesn't record the blob to the cache record (i.e. the passed blob can't
 // be acquired through getBlob). Use setBlob for that purpose.
 func (sr *immutableRef) linkBlob(ctx context.Context, desc ocispecs.Descriptor) error {
+	if _, err := sr.cm.LeaseManager.Create(ctx, func(l *leases.Lease) error {
+		l.ID = sr.compressionVariantsLeaseID()
+		// do not make it flat lease to allow linking blobs using gc label
+		return nil
+	}); err != nil && !errdefs.IsAlreadyExists(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := sr.cm.LeaseManager.AddResource(ctx, leases.Lease{ID: sr.compressionVariantsLeaseID()}, leases.Resource{
+		ID:   desc.Digest.String(),
+		Type: "content",
+	}); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	cs := sr.cm.ContentStore
 	blobDigest := sr.getBlob()
 	info, err := cs.Info(ctx, blobDigest)