diff --git a/cmd/oras/internal/option/referrers.go b/cmd/oras/internal/option/referrers.go
index d9b16a431..9284788a3 100644
--- a/cmd/oras/internal/option/referrers.go
+++ b/cmd/oras/internal/option/referrers.go
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package option
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"oras.land/oras-go/v2/registry/remote"
 )
@@ -33,11 +32,10 @@ func (opts *Referrers) ApplyFlags(fs *pflag.FlagSet) {
 }
 
 // SetReferrersGC sets the referrers GC option for the passed-in target.
-func (opts *Referrers) SetReferrersGC(target any) error {
+func (opts *Referrers) SetReferrersGC(target any, logger logrus.FieldLogger) {
 	if repo, ok := target.(*remote.Repository); ok {
 		repo.SkipReferrersGC = opts.SkipDeleteReferrers
 	} else if !opts.SkipDeleteReferrers {
-		return errors.New("referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry targets")
+		logger.Warnln("referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry")
 	}
-	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cmd/oras/root/attach.go b/cmd/oras/root/attach.go
index 9de992440..69d4f7f6b 100644
--- a/cmd/oras/root/attach.go
+++ b/cmd/oras/root/attach.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Example - Attach file to the manifest tagged 'v1' in an OCI layout folder 'layou
 }
 
 func runAttach(ctx context.Context, opts attachOptions) error {
-	ctx, _ = opts.WithContext(ctx)
+	ctx, logger := opts.WithContext(ctx)
 	annotations, err := opts.LoadManifestAnnotations()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -123,9 +123,7 @@ func runAttach(ctx context.Context, opts attachOptions) error {
 	if err := opts.EnsureReferenceNotEmpty(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err = opts.SetReferrersGC(dst); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	opts.SetReferrersGC(dst, logger)
 
 	subject, err := dst.Resolve(ctx, opts.Reference)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/oras/root/cp.go b/cmd/oras/root/cp.go
index 5a1a07a24..5e0982625 100644
--- a/cmd/oras/root/cp.go
+++ b/cmd/oras/root/cp.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Example - Copy an artifact with multiple tags with concurrency tuned:
 }
 
 func runCopy(ctx context.Context, opts copyOptions) error {
-	ctx, _ = opts.WithContext(ctx)
+	ctx, logger := opts.WithContext(ctx)
 
 	// Prepare source
 	src, err := opts.From.NewReadonlyTarget(ctx, opts.Common)
@@ -113,9 +113,7 @@ func runCopy(ctx context.Context, opts copyOptions) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err = opts.SetReferrersGC(dst); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	opts.SetReferrersGC(dst, logger)
 
 	// Prepare copy options
 	committed := &sync.Map{}
diff --git a/cmd/oras/root/manifest/push.go b/cmd/oras/root/manifest/push.go
index c0b115420..1d3e8ce08 100644
--- a/cmd/oras/root/manifest/push.go
+++ b/cmd/oras/root/manifest/push.go
@@ -105,16 +105,14 @@ Example - Push a manifest to an OCI layout folder 'layout-dir' and tag with 'v1'
 }
 
 func pushManifest(ctx context.Context, opts pushOptions) error {
-	ctx, _ = opts.WithContext(ctx)
+	ctx, logger := opts.WithContext(ctx)
 	var target oras.Target
 	var err error
 	target, err = opts.NewTarget(opts.Common)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err = opts.SetReferrersGC(target); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	opts.SetReferrersGC(target, logger)
 	if repo, ok := target.(*remote.Repository); ok {
 		target = repo.Manifests()
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/suite/command/attach.go b/test/e2e/suite/command/attach.go
index b36c7e9d5..9896acd56 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suite/command/attach.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suite/command/attach.go
@@ -205,15 +205,6 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI image layout users:", func() {
 			ORAS("cp", RegistryRef(Host, ImageRepo, foobar.Tag), Flags.ToLayout, LayoutRef(root, foobar.Tag)).Exec()
 		}
 
-		It("should fail to specify referrers garbage collection", func() {
-			root := PrepareTempFiles()
-			subjectRef := LayoutRef(root, foobar.Tag)
-			ORAS("attach", "--artifact-type", "test.attach", "--skip-delete-referrers=false", Flags.Layout, subjectRef, fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", foobar.AttachFileName, foobar.AttachFileMedia)).
-				ExpectFailure().
-				MatchContent("Error: referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry targets\n").
-				Exec()
-		})
-
 		It("should attach a file to a subject", func() {
 			root := PrepareTempFiles()
 			subjectRef := LayoutRef(root, foobar.Tag)
@@ -223,6 +214,15 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI image layout users:", func() {
 				MatchStatus([]match.StateKey{foobar.AttachFileStateKey}, false, 1).Exec()
 		})
 
+		It("should attach and output warning for referrers deletion by default", func() {
+			root := PrepareTempFiles()
+			subjectRef := LayoutRef(root, foobar.Tag)
+			prepare(root)
+			ORAS("attach", "--artifact-type", "test.attach", "-v", Flags.Layout, subjectRef, fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", foobar.AttachFileName, foobar.AttachFileMedia)).
+				MatchContent("Error: referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry\n").
+				Exec()
+		})
+
 		It("should attach a file to a subject and export the built manifest", func() {
 			// prepare
 			root := PrepareTempFiles()
diff --git a/test/e2e/suite/command/cp.go b/test/e2e/suite/command/cp.go
index 161782d23..d5decaa3f 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suite/command/cp.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suite/command/cp.go
@@ -323,12 +323,6 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI spec 1.0 registry users:", func() {
 
 var _ = Describe("OCI layout users:", func() {
 	When("running `cp`", func() {
-		It("should fail to specify referrers garbage collection", func() {
-			ORAS("cp", RegistryRef(Host, ArtifactRepo, foobar.Tag), GinkgoT().TempDir(), Flags.ToLayout, "--skip-delete-referrers=false").
-				ExpectFailure().
-				MatchContent("Error: referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry targets\n").
-				Exec()
-		})
 		It("should copy an image from a registry to an OCI image layout via tag", func() {
 			dst := LayoutRef(GinkgoT().TempDir(), "copied")
 			src := RegistryRef(Host, ImageRepo, foobar.Tag)
@@ -339,6 +333,12 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI layout users:", func() {
 			Expect(srcManifest).To(Equal(dstManifest))
 		})
 
+		It("should copy and output verbosed warning for Feferrers deletion by default", func() {
+			ORAS("cp", RegistryRef(Host, ArtifactRepo, foobar.Tag), GinkgoT().TempDir(), Flags.ToLayout, "-v").
+				MatchErrKeyWords("referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry\n").
+				Exec()
+		})
+
 		It("should copy an image from an OCI image layout to a registry via tag", func() {
 			layoutDir := GinkgoT().TempDir()
 			src := LayoutRef(layoutDir, "copied")
diff --git a/test/e2e/suite/command/manifest.go b/test/e2e/suite/command/manifest.go
index e190d2cd0..9cf86543c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suite/command/manifest.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suite/command/manifest.go
@@ -547,13 +547,13 @@ var _ = Describe("OCI image layout users:", func() {
 		}
 		descriptor := "{\"mediaType\":\"application/vnd.oci.image.manifest.v1+json\",\"digest\":\"sha256:f20c43161d73848408ef247f0ec7111b19fe58ffebc0cbcaa0d2c8bda4967268\",\"size\":246}"
 
-		It("should fail to specify referrers garbage collection", func() {
+		It("should push and output verbosed warning for Feferrers deletion by default", func() {
 			manifestPath := WriteTempFile("manifest.json", manifest)
 			root := filepath.Dir(manifestPath)
+			prepare(root)
 			ORAS("manifest", "push", root, Flags.Layout, manifestPath, "--skip-delete-referrers=false").
 				WithWorkDir(root).
-				ExpectFailure().
-				MatchContent("Error: referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry targets\n").Exec()
+				MatchErrKeyWords("referrers deletion can only be enforced upon registry\n").Exec()
 		})
 
 		It("should push a manifest from stdin", func() {