diff --git a/src/bin/julialauncher.rs b/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
index 62c1ce17..5c0bc6b5 100644
--- a/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
+++ b/src/bin/julialauncher.rs
@@ -166,32 +166,42 @@ fn get_julia_path_from_channel(
     juliaupconfig_path: &Path,
     juliaup_channel_source: JuliaupChannelSource,
 ) -> Result<(PathBuf, Vec<String>)> {
+    let potential_matches: Vec<_> = config_data.installed_channels.keys()
+                        .filter(|&item| item.starts_with(channel))
+                        .cloned()
+                        .collect();
+    let actualchannel = if potential_matches.len() == 1 {
+        potential_matches.first().expect("length should be 1").as_str()
+    } else {
+        channel
+    };
+
     let channel_info = config_data
             .installed_channels
-            .get(channel)
+            .get(actualchannel)
             .ok_or_else(|| match juliaup_channel_source {
                 JuliaupChannelSource::CmdLine => {
-                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(channel) {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
+                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(actualchannel) {
+                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", actualchannel, actualchannel) }
                     } else {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}`. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
+                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}`. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  actualchannel) }
                     }
                 }.into(),
                 JuliaupChannelSource::EnvVar=> {
-                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(channel) {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` for environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
+                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(actualchannel) {
+                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` for environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", actualchannel, actualchannel) }
                     } else {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` in environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
+                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` in environment variable JULIAUP_CHANNEL. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  actualchannel) }
                     }
                 }.into(),
                 JuliaupChannelSource::Override=> {
-                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(channel) {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` for directory override is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", channel, channel) }
+                    if versions_db.available_channels.contains_key(actualchannel) {
+                        UserError { msg: format!("`{}` for directory override is not installed. Please run `juliaup add {}` to install channel or version.", actualchannel, actualchannel) }
                     } else {
-                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` in directory override. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  channel) }
+                        UserError { msg: format!("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `{}` in directory override. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.",  actualchannel) }
                     }
                 }.into(),
-                JuliaupChannelSource::Default => anyhow!("The Juliaup configuration is in an inconsistent state, the currently configured default channel `{}` is not installed.", channel)
+                JuliaupChannelSource::Default => anyhow!("The Juliaup configuration is in an inconsistent state, the currently configured default channel `{}` is not installed.", actualchannel)
             })?;
 
     match channel_info {
@@ -204,12 +214,12 @@ fn get_julia_path_from_channel(
         JuliaupConfigChannel::SystemChannel { version } => {
             let path = &config_data
                 .installed_versions.get(version)
-                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("The juliaup configuration is in an inconsistent state, the channel {} is pointing to Julia version {}, which is not installed.", channel, version))?.path;
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("The juliaup configuration is in an inconsistent state, the channel {} is pointing to Julia version {}, which is not installed.", actualchannel, version))?.path;
 
-            check_channel_uptodate(channel, version, versions_db).with_context(|| {
+            check_channel_uptodate(actualchannel, version, versions_db).with_context(|| {
                 format!(
                     "The Julia launcher failed while checking whether the channel {} is up-to-date.",
-                    channel
+                    actualchannel
                 )
             })?;
             let absolute_path = juliaupconfig_path
@@ -237,12 +247,12 @@ fn get_julia_path_from_channel(
             if local_etag != server_etag {
                 eprintln!(
                     "A new version of Julia for the `{}` channel is available. Run:",
-                    channel
+                    actualchannel
                 );
                 eprintln!();
                 eprintln!("  juliaup update");
                 eprintln!();
-                eprintln!("to install the latest Julia for the `{}` channel.", channel);
+                eprintln!("to install the latest Julia for the `{}` channel.", actualchannel);
             }
 
             let absolute_path = juliaupconfig_path
diff --git a/tests/channel_selection.rs b/tests/channel_selection.rs
index 7af73a4a..30c0470b 100644
--- a/tests/channel_selection.rs
+++ b/tests/channel_selection.rs
@@ -125,4 +125,41 @@ fn channel_selection() {
         .assert()
         .failure()
         .stderr("ERROR: Invalid Juliaup channel `1.8.6`. Please run `juliaup list` to get a list of valid channels and versions.\n");
+
+
+    // Now testing short channel matching
+
+    Command::cargo_bin("julia")
+        .unwrap()
+        .arg("+1.8")
+        .arg("-e")
+        .arg("print(VERSION)")
+        .env("JULIA_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .env("JULIAUP_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .env("JULIAUP_CHANNEL", "1.7.3")
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout("1.8.5");
+
+    Command::cargo_bin("juliaup")
+        .unwrap()
+        .arg("add")
+        .arg("1.8.4")
+        .env("JULIA_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .env("JULIAUP_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout("");
+
+    Command::cargo_bin("julia")
+        .unwrap()
+        .arg("+1.8")
+        .arg("-e")
+        .arg("print(VERSION)")
+        .env("JULIA_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .env("JULIAUP_DEPOT_PATH", depot_dir.path())
+        .env("JULIAUP_CHANNEL", "1.7.4")
+        .assert()
+        .failure()
+        .stderr("`1.8` is not installed. Please run `juliaup add 1.8` to install channel or version.\n");
 }