diff --git a/src/commands/install.ts b/src/commands/install.ts
index 67d484c2..6c5a05eb 100644
--- a/src/commands/install.ts
+++ b/src/commands/install.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ export default class InstallCommand extends UpdateCommand {
     if (versionParts && versionParts[1]) {
       this.channel = versionParts[1].substr(0, versionParts[1].indexOf('.'));
       this.debug(`Flag overriden target channel: ${this.channel}`);
+    } else if (versionParts.length === 1) {
+      // If there is only one version part then the channel must be stable
+      this.channel = 'stable';
     }
 
     const versions = fs
diff --git a/test/commands/install.test.ts b/test/commands/install.test.ts
index 3d4c96fa..fe3570a6 100644
--- a/test/commands/install.test.ts
+++ b/test/commands/install.test.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ describe('Install Command', () => {
         version: '2.2.1-next.22',
         baseDir: 'test-cli',
         channel: 'next',
-        gz: 'https://test-cli-oclif.s3.amazonaws.com/test-cli-v2.2.1-next.22/test-cli-v2.2.1-next.22.tar.gz',
+        gz: 'https://test-cli-oclif.s3.amazonaws.com/channels/next/test-cli-v2.2.1-next.22/test-cli-v2.2.1-next.22.tar.gz',
       },
     });
 
@@ -84,6 +84,29 @@ describe('Install Command', () => {
     expect(commandInstance.updatedVersion).toBe('2.2.1-next.22');
   });
 
+  it('when requesting a version from stable, will update channel to stable and return the explicit version with appropriate URL', async () => {
+    config.pjson.oclif.update.s3.host = 'https://test-cli-oclif.com/';
+    config.binPath = 'cli';
+    config.channel = 'next';
+    mockFs.readdirSync.mockReturnValue([] as any);
+    commandInstance = new MockedInstallCommand(['2.2.1'], config);
+
+    http.get.mockResolvedValue({
+      body: {
+        version: '2.2.1',
+        baseDir: 'test-cli',
+        channel: 'stable',
+        gz: 'https://test-cli-oclif.s3.amazonaws.com/test-cli-v2.2.1/test-cli-v2.2.1.tar.gz',
+      },
+    });
+
+    await commandInstance.run();
+
+    expect(commandInstance.downloadAndExtract).toBeCalled();
+    expect(commandInstance.channel).toBe('stable');
+    expect(commandInstance.updatedVersion).toBe('2.2.1');
+  });
+
   it('when requesting a version already available locally, will call updateToExistingVersion', async () => {
     mockFs.readdirSync.mockReturnValue([
       '1.0.0-next.2',