diff --git a/install/install.ps1 b/install/install.ps1
index b28ee957d..fe9f802d9 100644
--- a/install/install.ps1
+++ b/install/install.ps1
@@ -115,8 +115,9 @@ $prefix = Join-Path $InstallDir "npm"
 New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $prefix -Force | Out-Null
 # npm resolves `node` from PATH, so put the selected Node first.
 # DevSpace and its dependencies ship prebuilt binaries, so no install scripts are needed.
+# --prefer-online revalidates cached metadata, so a rerun right after a release installs that release.
 $env:Path = "$NodeDir;$env:Path"
-& $Npm install --global --prefix $prefix --ignore-scripts --no-fund --no-audit --no-update-notifier --loglevel=error $PackageSpec
+& $Npm install --global --prefix $prefix --ignore-scripts --prefer-online --no-fund --no-audit --no-update-notifier --loglevel=error $PackageSpec
 if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { throw "npm install failed." }
 
 $packageDir = Join-Path $prefix "node_modules\$Package"
diff --git a/install/install.sh b/install/install.sh
index 994ccd6f2..d24fde400 100755
--- a/install/install.sh
+++ b/install/install.sh
@@ -132,8 +132,9 @@ install_package() {
   mkdir -p "$INSTALL_DIR/npm"
   # npm's shebang resolves `node` from PATH, so put the selected Node first.
   # DevSpace and its dependencies ship prebuilt binaries, so no install scripts are needed.
+  # --prefer-online revalidates cached metadata, so a rerun right after a release installs that release.
   PATH="$NODE_BIN_DIR:$PATH" "$NODE_BIN_DIR/npm" install --global --prefix "$INSTALL_DIR/npm" \
-    --ignore-scripts --no-fund --no-audit --no-update-notifier --loglevel=error "$PACKAGE_SPEC"
+    --ignore-scripts --prefer-online --no-fund --no-audit --no-update-notifier --loglevel=error "$PACKAGE_SPEC"
 }
 
 write_launchers() {