diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 9aa2cca1fc..1bb1d86079 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
     - sudo /snap/bin/lxd init --auto
     install:
     script:
-    - sudo snapcraft --use-lxd
+    - ./scripts/build_snap.sh
     after_failure:
     - sudo journalctl -u snapd
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ deploy:
       stage: build
   - provider: snap
     snap: dvc_*.snap
-    channel: ${TRAVIS_TAG:+stable}${TRAVIS_TAG:-edge}
+    channel: $SNAP_CHANNEL
     skip_cleanup: true
     on:
       all_branches: true
diff --git a/scripts/build_package.sh b/scripts/build_package.sh
index 1b95366974..1266ead8bf 100755
--- a/scripts/build_package.sh
+++ b/scripts/build_package.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set -e
 set -x
 
 if [ ! -d "dvc" ]; then
-    echo "Please run this script from repository root"
+    echo "Please run this script from repository root" >&2
     exit 1
 fi
 
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ python setup.py bdist_wheel --universal
 if [[ -n "$TRAVIS_TAG" ]]; then
     pip uninstall -y dvc
     if which dvc; then
-        echo "ERROR: dvc command still exists! Unable to verify dvc version."
+        echo "ERROR: dvc command still exists! Unable to verify dvc version." >&2
 	exit 1
     fi
     pip install dist/dvc-*.whl
     if [[ "$(dvc --version)" != "$TRAVIS_TAG" ]]; then
-        echo "ERROR: 'dvc --version'$(dvc -V) doesn't match '$TRAVIS_TAG'"
+        echo "ERROR: 'dvc --version'$(dvc -V) doesn't match '$TRAVIS_TAG'" >&2
         exit 1
     fi
     pip uninstall -y dvc
diff --git a/scripts/build_posix.sh b/scripts/build_posix.sh
index c5e9bb89f2..a3deebdc2d 100755
--- a/scripts/build_posix.sh
+++ b/scripts/build_posix.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ fi
 
 print_error()
 {
-	echo -e "\e[31m$1\e[0m"
+	echo -e "\e[31m$1\e[0m" >&2
 }
 
 if [ ! -d "dvc" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/build_snap.sh b/scripts/build_snap.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..ce78aea583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build_snap.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+set -x
+
+if [ ! -d "dvc" ]; then
+  echo "Please run this script from repository root"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+sudo snapcraft --use-lxd
+
+pip uninstall -y dvc
+if which dvc; then
+  echo "ERROR: dvc command still exists! Unable to verify dvc version." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+sudo snap install --dangerous --classic dvc_*.snap
+if [[ -n "$TRAVIS_TAG" ]]; then
+  # Make sure we have a correct version
+  if [[ "$(dvc --version)" != "$TRAVIS_TAG" ]]; then
+      echo "ERROR: 'dvc --version'$(dvc -V) doesn't match '$TRAVIS_TAG'" >&2
+      exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+# ensure basic commands can run
+# N.B.: cannot run `dvc get` on travis (#2956)
+dvc version
+dvc.git status
+dvc.git fetch --all
+sudo snap remove dvc
diff --git a/scripts/ci/before_install.sh b/scripts/ci/before_install.sh
index 27c423b7d2..2e9461be41 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/before_install.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci/before_install.sh
@@ -50,3 +50,9 @@ elif [[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" == "osx" ]]; then
     ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/python
     ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/pip3 /usr/local/bin/pip
 fi
+
+if [[ -n "$TRAVIS_TAG" ]]; then
+    echo "export SNAP_CHANNEL=stable" >> env.sh
+else
+    echo "export SNAP_CHANNEL=edge" >> env.sh
+fi
diff --git a/snap/snapcraft.yaml b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
index b1e9ed0588..e73da698ef 100644
--- a/snap/snapcraft.yaml
+++ b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ summary: Data Version Control
 description: Git for Data & Models https://dvc.org
 adopt-info: dvc
 grade: stable
-confinement: classic  # for same reasons as snap `git-ubuntu`
+confinement: classic  # for `dvc run`ning external binaries
 base: core18
 license: Apache-2.0
 layout: