diff --git a/src/api/install.ts b/src/api/install.ts
index 36ed7a3802..29b3a53d23 100644
--- a/src/api/install.ts
+++ b/src/api/install.ts
@@ -101,9 +101,8 @@ function argsToSpecs (args: string[], defaultTag: string, where: string): Packag
   return args
     .map(arg => npa(arg, where))
     .map(spec => {
-      if (spec.type === 'tag' && !spec.raw.endsWith('@latest')) {
+      if (spec.type === 'tag' && !spec.rawSpec) {
         spec.fetchSpec = defaultTag
-        spec.saveSpec = defaultTag
       }
       return spec
     })
diff --git a/test/install/misc.ts b/test/install/misc.ts
index ea9f095357..49c274f993 100644
--- a/test/install/misc.ts
+++ b/test/install/misc.ts
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ test('modules without version spec, with custom tag config', async function (t)
   await project.storeHas('dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep', '100.0.0')
 })
 
+test('installing a package by specifying a specific dist-tag', async function (t) {
+  const project = prepare(t)
+
+  await addDistTag('dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep', '100.0.0', 'beta')
+
+  await installPkgs(['dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep@beta'], testDefaults())
+
+  await project.storeHas('dep-of-pkg-with-1-dep', '100.0.0')
+})
+
 test('scoped modules with versions (@rstacruz/tap-spec@4.1.1)', async function (t) {
   const project = prepare(t)
   await installPkgs(['@rstacruz/tap-spec@4.1.1'], testDefaults())