diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b6f558e4..985807a4 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ xbps-0.16 (???):
  * xbps-bin(8): the 'install' target now can (re)install an exact package
    version as specified on its arguments, i.e:
 
-	$ xbps-bin install foo-1.0
+	$ xbps-bin install foo=1.0
 
    If that version is not available no other version will be installed.
+   The equal sign must be used to specify exact versions.
 
  * xbps-repo(8): 'genindex' target is now able to remove binary packages
    when a greater version exists on the index.
diff --git a/include/xbps_api.h b/include/xbps_api.h
index c5d5c1da..806052cc 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
  */
 #define XBPS_PKGINDEX_VERSION	"1.5"
 
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120602"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120603"
 #define XBPS_VERSION		"0.16"
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index e919b2c4..c0f6f5dd 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -243,14 +243,16 @@ xbps_transaction_install_pkg(const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 {
 	prop_dictionary_t pkgd;
 	pkg_state_t state;
-	char *pkgname;
+	size_t len, i;
+	char *pkgname, *pkgstr = NULL;
 	bool bypattern, best, exact;
+	int rv;
 
 	if (xbps_pkgpattern_version(pkg)) {
 		bypattern = true;
 		best = false;
 		exact = false;
-	} else if (xbps_pkg_version(pkg)) {
+	} else if (strchr(pkg, '=')) {
 		exact = true;
 		bypattern = false;
 		best = false;
@@ -261,10 +263,23 @@ xbps_transaction_install_pkg(const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 	}
 
 	if (exact) {
-		pkgname = xbps_pkg_name(pkg);
+		/* find out pkgname */
+		pkgname = strdup(pkg);
 		assert(pkgname != NULL);
+		len = strcspn(pkg, "=");
+		for (i = 0; i < len; i++)
+			pkgname[i] = pkg[i];
+		pkgname[i] = '\0';
 		pkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkgd(pkgname, false);
 		free(pkgname);
+		/* replace equal with an hyphen */
+		pkgstr = strdup(pkg);
+		for (i = 0; i < strlen(pkgstr); i++) {
+			if (pkgstr[i] == '=') {
+				pkgstr[i] = '-';
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 	} else {
 		pkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkgd(pkg, bypattern);
 	}
@@ -280,7 +295,12 @@ xbps_transaction_install_pkg(const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 			return EEXIST;
 		}
 	}
-	return transaction_find_pkg(pkg, bypattern, best, exact, TRANS_INSTALL);
+	rv = transaction_find_pkg(pkgstr ? pkgstr : pkg, bypattern,
+	    best, exact, TRANS_INSTALL);
+	if (pkgstr != NULL)
+		free(pkgstr);
+
+	return rv;
 }
 
 int