diff --git a/bake/bake.go b/bake/bake.go
index c766e7e3459..b150b17acda 100644
--- a/bake/bake.go
+++ b/bake/bake.go
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ func (c Config) loadLinks(name string, t *Target, m map[string]*Target, o map[st
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
-				t2.Outputs = nil
+				t2.Outputs = []string{"type=cacheonly"}
 				t2.linked = true
 				m[target] = t2
 			}
diff --git a/bake/bake_test.go b/bake/bake_test.go
index cc2bed87246..db9f7ae2e59 100644
--- a/bake/bake_test.go
+++ b/bake/bake_test.go
@@ -838,7 +838,8 @@ func TestReadContextFromTargetChain(t *testing.T) {
 
 	mid, ok := m["mid"]
 	require.True(t, ok)
-	require.Equal(t, 0, len(mid.Outputs))
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(mid.Outputs))
+	require.Equal(t, "type=cacheonly", mid.Outputs[0])
 	require.Equal(t, 1, len(mid.Contexts))
 
 	base, ok := m["base"]