diff --git a/cmd/podman/client.go b/cmd/podman/client.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9fa9646330
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/podman/client.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package main
+
+import "github.com/containers/podman/v4/libpod/define"
+
+type clientInfo struct {
+	OSArch   string `json:"OS"`
+	Provider string `json:"provider"`
+	Version  string `json:"version"`
+}
+
+func getClientInfo() (*clientInfo, error) {
+	p, err := getProvider()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	vinfo, err := define.GetVersion()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &clientInfo{
+		OSArch:   vinfo.OsArch,
+		Provider: p,
+		Version:  vinfo.Version,
+	}, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/podman/client_supported.go b/cmd/podman/client_supported.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d744e0230
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/podman/client_supported.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+//go:build amd64 || arm64
+// +build amd64 arm64
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"github.com/containers/podman/v4/pkg/machine/provider"
+)
+
+func getProvider() (string, error) {
+	p, err := provider.Get()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return p.VMType().String(), nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/podman/client_unsupported.go b/cmd/podman/client_unsupported.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7abc25bd9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/podman/client_unsupported.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+//go:build !amd64 && !arm64
+
+package main
+
+func getProvider() (string, error) {
+	return "", nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/podman/root.go b/cmd/podman/root.go
index 8f132c053f..484ea46a99 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/root.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/root.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 )
 
 // HelpTemplate is the help template for podman commands
@@ -296,6 +297,15 @@ func persistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	// Prep the engines
 	if _, err := registry.NewImageEngine(cmd, args); err != nil {
+		// Note: this is gross, but it is the hand we are dealt
+		if registry.IsRemote() && errors.As(err, &bindings.ConnectError{}) && cmd.Name() == "info" && cmd.Parent() == cmd.Root() {
+			clientDesc, err := getClientInfo()
+			// we eat the error here. if this fails, they just don't any client info
+			if err == nil {
+				b, _ := yaml.Marshal(clientDesc)
+				fmt.Println(string(b))
+			}
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 	if _, err := registry.NewContainerEngine(cmd, args); err != nil {
diff --git a/test/e2e/info_test.go b/test/e2e/info_test.go
index e221caff7d..165e618cb7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/info_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/info_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
 
 	. "github.com/containers/podman/v4/test/utils"
@@ -240,4 +241,16 @@ var _ = Describe("Podman Info", func() {
 		// Don't check absolute numbers because there is a decent chance of contamination, containers that were never removed properly, etc.
 		Expect(free1).To(Equal(free2 + 1))
 	})
+
+	It("Podman info: check for client information when no system service", func() {
+		// the output for this information is not really something we can marshall
+		want := runtime.GOOS + "/" + runtime.GOARCH
+		podmanTest.StopRemoteService()
+		SkipIfNotRemote("Specifically testing a failed remote connection")
+		info := podmanTest.Podman([]string{"info"})
+		info.WaitWithDefaultTimeout()
+		Expect(info.OutputToString()).To(ContainSubstring(want))
+		Expect(info).ToNot(ExitCleanly())
+		podmanTest.StartRemoteService() // Start service again so teardown runs clean
+	})
 })
diff --git a/test/system/272-system-connection.bats b/test/system/272-system-connection.bats
index a4dc9bd6e8..d146d6cd5a 100644
--- a/test/system/272-system-connection.bats
+++ b/test/system/272-system-connection.bats
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ $c2[ ]\+tcp://localhost:54321[ ]\+true" \
     # when invoking podman.
     _run_podman_remote 125 info
     is "$output" \
-       "Cannot connect to Podman. Please verify.*dial tcp.*connection refused" \
+       "OS: .*provider:.*Cannot connect to Podman. Please verify.*dial tcp.*connection refused" \
        "podman info, without active service"
 
     # Start service. Now podman info should work fine. The %%-remote*