diff --git a/src/coreclr/vm/nativeimage.cpp b/src/coreclr/vm/nativeimage.cpp
index b081091f1b94e..777ab182ee8f6 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/vm/nativeimage.cpp
+++ b/src/coreclr/vm/nativeimage.cpp
@@ -141,14 +141,20 @@ NativeImage *NativeImage::Open(
     LPWSTR searchPathsConfig;
     IfFailThrow(CLRConfig::GetConfigValue(CLRConfig::INTERNAL_NativeImageSearchPaths, &searchPathsConfig));
 
-    NewHolder<PEImageLayout> peLoadedImage;
+    PEImageLayoutHolder peLoadedImage;
 
     BundleFileLocation bundleFileLocation = Bundle::ProbeAppBundle(fullPath, /*pathIsBundleRelative */ true);
     if (bundleFileLocation.IsValid())
     {
-        PEImageHolder pImage = PEImage::OpenImage(fullPath, MDInternalImport_Default, bundleFileLocation);
-        peLoadedImage = pImage->GetOrCreateLayout(PEImageLayout::LAYOUT_MAPPED);
-        peLoadedImage.SuppressRelease();
+        // No need to use cache for this PE image.
+        // Composite r2r PE image is not a part of anyone's identity.
+        // We only need it to obtain the native image, which will be cached at AppDomain level.
+        PEImageHolder pImage = PEImage::OpenImage(fullPath, MDInternalImport_NoCache, bundleFileLocation);
+        PEImageLayout* mapped = pImage->GetOrCreateLayout(PEImageLayout::LAYOUT_MAPPED);
+        // We will let pImage instance be freed after exiting this scope, but we will keep the layout,
+        // thus the layout needs an AddRef, or it will be gone together with pImage.
+        mapped->AddRef();
+        peLoadedImage = mapped;
     }
 
     if (peLoadedImage.IsNull())