diff --git a/bin/gittio.js b/bin/gittio.js
index 21a7fc2..7360cfa 100755
--- a/bin/gittio.js
+++ b/bin/gittio.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ program
   .option('-p, --platform <platform>', 'apply to a specific platform only');
 
 var install_cmd = program.command('install')
-  .usage('<id>@<version>:<platform>')  
+  .usage('<id>@<version>:<platform>')
   .description('install all missing modules and widgets')
   .option('-t, --type <type>', 'widget or module (default: both)')
   .action(install);
@@ -218,4 +218,4 @@ function demo(env) {
 
     return gittio.demo(params);
   });
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/component.js b/lib/component.js
index 080c4b4..8238fa2 100644
--- a/lib/component.js
+++ b/lib/component.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var os = require('os'),
   path = require('path'),
   logger = require('./logger'),
   request = require('request'),
+  semver = require('semver'),
   _ = require('underscore'),
   utils = require('./utils'),
   config = require('./config');
@@ -67,18 +68,41 @@ exports.filterDists = function(cmp, o) {
 
   var platform;
 
+  // valid **specific** version, valid range, or something else (tags?)
+  var targetVersion = semver.valid(o.version) || semver.validRange(o.version) || o.version;
+
+  var versions = cmp.versions.map(function (v) {
+    return _.defaults({
+      // checking for valid semvers (x.y.z)
+      // or semi-valid (x.y)
+      // or unknown format ones
+      version: semver.valid(v.version) || semver.valid(v.version + '.0') || v.version
+    }, v);
+  }).sort(looseCompareDists);
+
+  var matches;
+
   // while we have platforms to cover
   while ((platform = platforms.shift()) !== undefined) {
 
-    // find first version that..
-    var version = _.find(cmp.versions, function (v) {
+    // filter for versions that..
+    matches = versions.filter(function (v) {
+      // have a dist and matches platform
+      return v.dist && _.contains(v.platforms, platform);
+    });
 
-      // has a dist if no version was asked
-      // or matches version if asked
-      // and matches platform
-      return ((o.version === undefined && v.dist) || v.version === o.version) && _.contains(v.platforms, platform);
+    var version;
 
-    });
+    if (!targetVersion) {
+      version = matches.pop();
+
+    } else {
+      while ((version = matches.pop()) !== undefined) {
+        if (semver.satisfies(version.version, targetVersion)) {
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+    }
 
     var prefix = utils.prefix(cmp.id, o.version, platform);
 
@@ -121,4 +145,16 @@ exports.filterDists = function(cmp, o) {
   }
 
   return dists;
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
+
+function looseCompareDists(a, b) {
+  // 'master' is to be considered the 'last resort' version
+  if (a.version === 'master') {
+    return -1;
+  }
+  else if (b.version === 'master') {
+    return +1;
+  }
+
+  return semver.compareLoose(a.version, b.version);
+}
diff --git a/lib/gittio.js b/lib/gittio.js
index 0f34cf2..00c51a2 100755
--- a/lib/gittio.js
+++ b/lib/gittio.js
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ function install(o) {
 
 function _addDependency(cmp, dst, o) {
   if (cmp.type === 'module' && config.context === 'project') {
-    tiapp.addDependency(cmp.id, o.version, dst.platforms);
+    tiapp.addDependency(cmp.id, dst.version, dst.platforms);
   } else if (cmp.type === 'widget') {
-    alloy.addDependency(cmp.id, o.version);
+    alloy.addDependency(cmp.id, dst.version);
   }
 }
 
@@ -600,4 +600,4 @@ function demo(o) {
 exports.install = install;
 exports.uninstall = uninstall;
 exports.info = info;
-exports.demo = demo;
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.demo = demo;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4517a8a..b8257fe 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,17 +34,18 @@
   },
   "preferGlobal": true,
   "dependencies": {
-    "request": "~2.30.0",
     "adm-zip": "~0.4.3",
-    "fs-extended": "~0.2.0",
-    "underscore": "~1.5.2",
     "async": "~0.2.9",
     "chalk": "~0.4.0",
     "commander": "~2.1.0",
-    "timodules": "~0.1.1",
-    "xml2js": "~0.4.1",
+    "fs-extended": "~0.2.0",
+    "request": "~2.30.0",
     "rimraf": "~2.2.5",
-    "update-notifier": "~0.1.7"
+    "semver": "^4.1.0",
+    "timodules": "~0.1.1",
+    "underscore": "~1.5.2",
+    "update-notifier": "~0.1.7",
+    "xml2js": "~0.4.1"
   },
   "license": "Apache Public License v2",
   "bin": "./bin/gittio.js",