diff --git a/lib/cli/src/cli.rs b/lib/cli/src/cli.rs
index f67f0e7b2..a17b1689c 100644
--- a/lib/cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ fn try_run_package_or_file(args: &[String], r: &Run) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error
     }
 
     // else: local package not found - try to download and install package
-    try_autoinstall_package(args, &sv, package_download_info)
+    try_autoinstall_package(args, &sv, package_download_info, r.force_install)
 }
 
 fn try_lookup_command(sv: &mut SplitVersion) -> Result<PackageDownloadInfo, anyhow::Error> {
@@ -317,10 +317,11 @@ fn try_autoinstall_package(
     args: &[String],
     sv: &SplitVersion,
     package: Option<PackageDownloadInfo>,
+    force_install: bool,
 ) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
     let sp = start_spinner(format!("Installing package {} ...", sv.package));
     let v = sv.version.as_deref();
-    let result = wasmer_registry::install_package(&sv.package, v, package);
+    let result = wasmer_registry::install_package(&sv.package, v, package, force_install);
     sp.close();
     print!("\r\n");
     let (package, buf) = match result {
diff --git a/lib/cli/src/commands/run.rs b/lib/cli/src/commands/run.rs
index 55f4f1aa6..a62a55c1e 100644
--- a/lib/cli/src/commands/run.rs
+++ b/lib/cli/src/commands/run.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ use wasi::Wasi;
 /// Same as `wasmer run`, but without the required `path` argument (injected previously)
 #[derive(Debug, Parser, Clone, Default)]
 pub struct RunWithoutFile {
+    /// When installing packages with `wasmer $package`, force re-downloading the package
+    #[clap(long = "force", short = 'f')]
+    pub(crate) force_install: bool,
+
     /// Disable the cache
     #[cfg(feature = "cache")]
     #[clap(long = "disable-cache")]
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ impl RunWithoutFile {
         Run {
             path: pathbuf,
             options: RunWithoutFile {
+                force_install: self.force_install,
                 #[cfg(feature = "cache")]
                 disable_cache: self.disable_cache,
                 invoke: self.invoke,
diff --git a/lib/registry/src/lib.rs b/lib/registry/src/lib.rs
index ee38798ee..43460f963 100644
--- a/lib/registry/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/registry/src/lib.rs
@@ -904,6 +904,7 @@ pub fn install_package(
     name: &str,
     version: Option<&str>,
     package_download_info: Option<PackageDownloadInfo>,
+    force_install: bool,
 ) -> Result<(LocalPackage, PathBuf), String> {
     let package_info = match package_download_info {
         Some(s) => s,
@@ -932,17 +933,19 @@ pub fn install_package(
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                match get_if_package_has_new_version(
-                    r,
-                    name,
-                    version.map(|s| s.to_string()),
-                    Duration::from_secs(60 * 5),
-                ) {
-                    Ok(Some(package)) => {
-                        url_of_package = Some((r, package));
-                        break;
+                if !force_install {
+                    match get_if_package_has_new_version(
+                        r,
+                        name,
+                        version.map(|s| s.to_string()),
+                        Duration::from_secs(60 * 5),
+                    ) {
+                        Ok(Some(package)) => {
+                            url_of_package = Some((r, package));
+                            break;
+                        }
+                        _ => {}
                     }
-                    _ => {}
                 }
 
                 match query_package_from_registry(r, name, version) {