diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_install.rs b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_install.rs
index 0ff2edbc6..b2759366e 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_install.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_install.rs
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ fn install_one(
             krate,
             vers,
             config,
-            true,
+            NeedsUpdate::True,
             &mut |git| git.read_packages(),
         )?
     } else if source_id.is_path() {
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ fn install_one(
             }
         }
         src.update()?;
-        select_pkg(src, krate, vers, config, false, &mut |path| {
+        select_pkg(src, krate, vers, config, NeedsUpdate::False, &mut |path| {
             path.read_packages()
         })?
     } else {
@@ -189,7 +189,11 @@ fn install_one(
             krate,
             vers,
             config,
-            is_first_install,
+            if is_first_install {
+                NeedsUpdate::TryWithoutFirst
+            } else {
+                NeedsUpdate::False
+            },
             &mut |_| {
                 bail!(
                     "must specify a crate to install from \
diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_uninstall.rs b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_uninstall.rs
index 2d69eabd0..612db0129 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_uninstall.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_uninstall.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fn uninstall_cwd(root: &Filesystem, bins: &[String], config: &Config) -> CargoRe
     let tracker = InstallTracker::load(config, root)?;
     let source_id = SourceId::for_path(config.cwd())?;
     let src = path_source(source_id, config)?;
-    let pkg = select_pkg(src, None, None, config, true, &mut |path| {
+    let pkg = select_pkg(src, None, None, config, NeedsUpdate::True, &mut |path| {
         path.read_packages()
     })?;
     let pkgid = pkg.package_id();
diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/common_for_install_and_uninstall.rs b/src/cargo/ops/common_for_install_and_uninstall.rs
index aa5c4ee18..b61ebc5c8 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/common_for_install_and_uninstall.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/common_for_install_and_uninstall.rs
@@ -525,13 +525,20 @@ pub fn path_source(source_id: SourceId, config: &Config) -> CargoResult<PathSour
     Ok(PathSource::new(&path, source_id, config))
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum NeedsUpdate {
+    True,
+    False,
+    TryWithoutFirst,
+}
+
 /// Gets a Package based on command-line requirements.
 pub fn select_pkg<'a, T>(
     mut source: T,
     name: Option<&str>,
     vers: Option<&str>,
     config: &Config,
-    needs_update: bool,
+    needs_update: NeedsUpdate,
     list_all: &mut dyn FnMut(&mut T) -> CargoResult<Vec<Package>>,
 ) -> CargoResult<Package>
 where
@@ -542,7 +549,7 @@ where
     // with other global Cargos
     let _lock = config.acquire_package_cache_lock()?;
 
-    if needs_update {
+    if let NeedsUpdate::True = needs_update {
         source.update()?;
     }
 
@@ -603,8 +610,21 @@ where
             vers
         };
         let dep = Dependency::parse_no_deprecated(name, vers_spec, source.source_id())?;
-        let deps = source.query_vec(&dep)?;
-        match deps.iter().map(|p| p.package_id()).max() {
+        let deps = (|| {
+            if let Some(vers_spec) = vers_spec {
+                if semver::VersionReq::parse(vers_spec).unwrap().is_exact() {
+                    let deps = source.query_vec(&dep)?;
+                    if deps.len() == 1 {
+                        return Ok(deps);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if needs_update != NeedsUpdate::False {
+                source.update()?;
+            }
+            source.query_vec(&dep)
+        })();
+        match deps?.iter().map(|p| p.package_id()).max() {
             Some(pkgid) => {
                 let pkg = Box::new(&mut source).download_now(pkgid, config)?;
                 Ok(pkg)
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/install_upgrade.rs b/tests/testsuite/install_upgrade.rs
index ee69bd85b..3d51ad625 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/install_upgrade.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/install_upgrade.rs
@@ -225,8 +225,7 @@ fn ambiguous_version_no_longer_allowed() {
     cargo_process("install foo --version=1.0")
         .with_stderr(
             "\
-[UPDATING] `[..]` index
-[ERROR] the `--vers` provided, `1.0`, is not a valid semver version: cannot parse '1.0' as a semver
+error: the `--vers` provided, `1.0`, is not a valid semver version: cannot parse '1.0' as a semver
 
 if you want to specify semver range, add an explicit qualifier, like ^1.0
 ",