diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d77b2c24..5d722ce7 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 xbps-0.37 (???):
 
+ * xbps-install(8): it's possible now to update a single package (if it's already
+   installed) without using the -u, --update option. This implements
+   GH #35 (https://github.com/voidlinux/xbps/issues/35).
+
+	$ xbps-install [-f] -y foo
+
+	- if foo is installed, update it.
+	- if foo not installed, install it.
+	- if -f is set, reinstall or downgrade it.
+
  * xbps-query(8): new option (-S, --show) which shows info of a package
    installed locally or in a repository with -R. This is the default mode
    if no other mode is set; to preserve compatibility with previous versions.
diff --git a/bin/xbps-install/xbps-install.8 b/bin/xbps-install/xbps-install.8
index 339e69c4..86062b13 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-install/xbps-install.8
+++ b/bin/xbps-install/xbps-install.8
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-.Dd April 21, 2014
+.Dd May 27, 2014
 .Os Void Linux
 .Dt xbps-install 8
 .Sh NAME
 .Nm xbps-install
-.Nd XBPS utility to install and update packages
+.Nd XBPS utility to (re)install and update packages
 .Sh SYNOPSYS
 .Nm xbps-install
 .Op OPTIONS
@@ -11,12 +11,17 @@
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 The
 .Nm
-utility installs and updates packages in the target root directory.
+utility installs, reinstalls, downgrades and updates packages in the target root directory.
 The argument
 .Ar PKG
 is a package expression, which is explained in the
 .Em PACKAGE EXPRESSION
-section.
+section. If package is installed, it will be updated to the version available in repositories
+matching the
+.Em PACKAGE EXPRESSION .
+Otherwise it will be installed, or reinstalled/downgraded if
+.Fl f , Fl -force
+option is set.
 .Sh PACKAGE EXPRESSION
 A package expression is a form to match a pattern; currently xbps
 supports 3 ways to specify them:
@@ -61,8 +66,10 @@ Specifies a full path to the cache directory, where binary packages are stored.
 .It Fl d, Fl -debug
 Enables extra debugging shown to stderr.
 .It Fl f, Fl -force
-Forcefully install target package even if another version is already installed,
-overwritting regular package files and symlinks (if they have been modified) but
+Force downgrade installation (if package version in repos is less than installed version),
+or reinstallation (if package version in repos is the same) to the target
+.Ar PKG ,
+overwriting regular package files and symlinks (if they have been modified) but
 .Em preserving configuration files .
 If
 .Fl f
@@ -79,9 +86,8 @@ Specifies a full path for the target root directory.
 .It Fl S, Fl -sync
 Synchronize remote repository index files.
 .It Fl u, Fl -update
-Update target package(s) rather than install. If
-.Op PKG
-not set, all installed packages will be updated.
+Performs a full system upgrade: all installed packages will be updated to the greatest
+versions that were found in repositories.
 .It Fl v, Fl -verbose
 Enables verbose messages.
 .It Fl y, Fl -yes
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index 44829da4..3090f5bd 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2009-2013 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2014 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -54,17 +54,18 @@
  */
 enum {
 	TRANS_INSTALL = 1,
-	TRANS_UPDATE
+	TRANS_UPDATE,
+	TRANS_REINSTALL
 };
 
 static int
-trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, int action)
+trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 {
-	xbps_dictionary_t pkg_pkgdb = NULL, pkg_repod;
+	xbps_dictionary_t pkg_pkgdb = NULL, pkg_repod = NULL;
 	xbps_array_t unsorted;
 	const char *repoloc, *repopkgver, *instpkgver, *reason;
 	char *pkgname;
-	int rv = 0;
+	int action = 0, rv = 0;
 	pkg_state_t state = 0;
 	bool autoinst = false;
 
@@ -77,7 +78,9 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, int action)
 	/*
 	 * Find out if the pkg has been found in repository pool.
 	 */
-	if (action == TRANS_INSTALL) {
+	if (pkg_pkgdb == NULL) {
+		/* pkg not installed, perform installation */
+		action = TRANS_INSTALL;
 		reason = "install";
 		if (((pkg_repod = xbps_rpool_get_pkg(xhp, pkg)) == NULL) &&
 		    ((pkg_repod = xbps_rpool_get_virtualpkg(xhp, pkg)) == NULL)) {
@@ -85,21 +88,27 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, int action)
 			return ENOENT;
 		}
 	} else {
-		if (pkg_pkgdb == NULL)
-			return ENODEV;
-
-		reason = "update";
+		/* pkg installed, update or reinstall */
+		if (!reinstall) {
+			action = TRANS_UPDATE;
+			reason = "update";
+		} else {
+			action = TRANS_REINSTALL;
+			reason = "install";
+		}
 		if ((pkg_repod = xbps_rpool_get_pkg(xhp, pkg)) == NULL) {
 			/* not found */
 			return ENOENT;
 		}
 	}
+
 	xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkg_repod, "pkgver", &repopkgver);
 	xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkg_repod, "repository", &repoloc);
 
 	if (action == TRANS_UPDATE) {
 		/*
-		 * Compare installed version vs best pkg available in repos.
+		 * Compare installed version vs best pkg available in repos
+		 * for pkg updates.
 		 */
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkg_pkgdb,
 		    "pkgver", &instpkgver);
@@ -109,16 +118,26 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, int action)
 			    repopkgver, instpkgver, repoloc);
 			return EEXIST;
 		}
+	} else if (action == TRANS_REINSTALL) {
+		/*
+		 * For reinstallation check if installed version is less than
+		 * or equal to the pkg in repos, if true, continue with reinstallation;
+		 * otherwise perform an update.
+		 */
+		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkg_pkgdb, "pkgver", &instpkgver);
+		if (xbps_cmpver(repopkgver, instpkgver) == 1) {
+			action = TRANS_UPDATE;
+			reason = "update";
+		}
 	}
+
 	if (pkg_pkgdb) {
 		/*
 		 * If pkg is already installed, respect its automatic-install
 		 * property.
 		 */
-		xbps_dictionary_get_bool(pkg_pkgdb, "automatic-install",
-		    &autoinst);
-		xbps_dictionary_set_bool(pkg_repod, "automatic-install",
-		    autoinst);
+		xbps_dictionary_get_bool(pkg_pkgdb, "automatic-install", &autoinst);
+		xbps_dictionary_set_bool(pkg_repod, "automatic-install", autoinst);
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Prepare transaction dictionary.
@@ -216,7 +235,7 @@ xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 		}
 		pkgname = xbps_pkg_name(pkgver);
 		assert(pkgname);
-		rv = trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkgname, TRANS_UPDATE);
+		rv = trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkgname, false);
 		if (rv == 0)
 			newpkg_found = true;
 		else if (rv == ENOENT || rv == EEXIST || rv == ENODEV) {
@@ -236,27 +255,14 @@ xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 int
 xbps_transaction_update_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 {
-	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, TRANS_UPDATE);
+	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, false);
 }
 
 int
 xbps_transaction_install_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg,
 			     bool reinstall)
 {
-	xbps_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL;
-	pkg_state_t state;
-
-	if ((pkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkg(xhp, pkg)) ||
-	    (pkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_virtualpkg(xhp, pkg))) {
-		if (xbps_pkg_state_dictionary(pkgd, &state) != 0)
-			return EINVAL;
-		if ((state == XBPS_PKG_STATE_INSTALLED) && !reinstall) {
-			/* error out if pkg installed and no reinstall */
-			return EEXIST;
-		}
-	}
-
-	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, TRANS_INSTALL);
+	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, reinstall);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
index 69527a95..8cdca0f8 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
@@ -66,7 +66,67 @@ install_with_vpkg_deps_body() {
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 }
 
+atf_test_case update_if_installed
+
+update_if_installed_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg installations: update if installed (issue #35)"
+}
+
+update_if_installed_body() {
+	mkdir some_repo
+	mkdir -p pkg_A/usr/bin
+	cd some_repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.0_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	xbps-rindex -a *.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ..
+
+	xbps-install -C empty.conf -r root --repository=$PWD/some_repo -y A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	cd some_repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.1_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	xbps-rindex -a *.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ..
+
+	xbps-install -C empty.conf -r root --repository=$PWD/some_repo -y A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	pkgver=$(xbps-query -r root -ppkgver A)
+	atf_check_equal $pkgver A-1.1_1
+}
+
+atf_test_case install_if_not_installed_on_update
+
+install_if_not_installed_on_update_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg installations: install if not installed on update (issue #35)"
+}
+
+install_if_not_installed_on_update_body() {
+	mkdir some_repo
+	mkdir -p pkg_A/usr/bin
+	cd some_repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.0_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	xbps-rindex -a *.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ..
+
+	xbps-install -C empty.conf -r root --repository=$PWD/some_repo -yu A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	pkgver=$(xbps-query -r root -ppkgver A)
+	atf_check_equal $pkgver A-1.0_1
+}
+
 atf_init_test_cases() {
 	atf_add_test_case install_with_deps
 	atf_add_test_case install_with_vpkg_deps
+	atf_add_test_case install_if_not_installed_on_update
+	atf_add_test_case update_if_installed
 }