diff --git a/build/actions/os.js b/build/actions/os.js
index c138e353..d0e40718 100644
--- a/build/actions/os.js
+++ b/build/actions/os.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ commandOptions = require('./command-options');
 exports.download = {
   signature: 'os download <type>',
   description: 'download an unconfigured os image',
-  help: 'Use this command to download an unconfigured os image for a certain device type.\n\nExamples:\n\n	$ resin os download parallella -o ../foo/bar/parallella.img',
+  help: 'Use this command to download an unconfigured os image for a certain device type.\nIf version is not specified the newest stable (non-pre-release) version of OS\nis downloaded if available, or the newest version otherwise (if all existing\nversions for the given device type are pre-release).\n\nExamples:\n\n	$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img\n	$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version 1.24.1\n	$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version ^1.20.0\n	$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version latest\n	$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version default',
   permission: 'user',
   options: [
     {
@@ -31,20 +31,32 @@ exports.download = {
       parameter: 'output',
       alias: 'o',
       required: 'You have to specify the output location'
+    }, {
+      signature: 'version',
+      description: "exact version number, or a valid semver range,\nor 'latest' (includes pre-releases),\nor 'default' (excludes pre-releases if at least one stable version is available),\nor 'recommended' (excludes pre-releases, will fail if only pre-release versions are available)",
+      parameter: 'version'
     }
   ],
   action: function(params, options, done) {
-    var fs, manager, rindle, unzip, visuals;
+    var displayVersion, fs, manager, rindle, unzip, version, visuals;
     unzip = require('unzip2');
     fs = require('fs');
     rindle = require('rindle');
     manager = require('resin-image-manager');
     visuals = require('resin-cli-visuals');
     console.info("Getting device operating system for " + params.type);
-    return manager.get(params.type, 'default').then(function(stream) {
+    version = options.version;
+    if (!version) {
+      version = 'default';
+      displayVersion = '';
+      console.warn('OS version is not specified, using the default version: the newest stable (non-pre-release) version if available, or the newest version otherwise (if all existing versions for the given device type are pre-release)');
+    } else {
+      displayVersion = " " + version;
+    }
+    return manager.get(params.type, version).then(function(stream) {
       var bar, output, spinner;
-      bar = new visuals.Progress('Downloading Device OS');
-      spinner = new visuals.Spinner('Downloading Device OS (size unknown)');
+      bar = new visuals.Progress("Downloading Device OS" + displayVersion);
+      spinner = new visuals.Spinner("Downloading Device OS" + displayVersion + " (size unknown)");
       stream.on('progress', function(state) {
         if (state != null) {
           return bar.update(state);
diff --git a/lib/actions/os.coffee b/lib/actions/os.coffee
index dd059eb9..53130ef5 100644
--- a/lib/actions/os.coffee
+++ b/lib/actions/os.coffee
@@ -21,18 +21,37 @@ exports.download =
 	description: 'download an unconfigured os image'
 	help: '''
 		Use this command to download an unconfigured os image for a certain device type.
+		If version is not specified the newest stable (non-pre-release) version of OS
+		is downloaded if available, or the newest version otherwise (if all existing
+		versions for the given device type are pre-release).
 
 		Examples:
 
-			$ resin os download parallella -o ../foo/bar/parallella.img
+			$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img
+			$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version 1.24.1
+			$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version ^1.20.0
+			$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version latest
+			$ resin os download raspberrypi3 -o ../foo/bar/raspberry-pi.img --version default
 	'''
 	permission: 'user'
 	options: [
-		signature: 'output'
-		description: 'output path'
-		parameter: 'output'
-		alias: 'o'
-		required: 'You have to specify the output location'
+		{
+			signature: 'output'
+			description: 'output path'
+			parameter: 'output'
+			alias: 'o'
+			required: 'You have to specify the output location'
+		}
+		{
+			signature: 'version'
+			description: """
+				exact version number, or a valid semver range,
+				or 'latest' (includes pre-releases),
+				or 'default' (excludes pre-releases if at least one stable version is available),
+				or 'recommended' (excludes pre-releases, will fail if only pre-release versions are available)
+			"""
+			parameter: 'version'
+		}
 	]
 	action: (params, options, done) ->
 		unzip = require('unzip2')
@@ -43,9 +62,20 @@ exports.download =
 
 		console.info("Getting device operating system for #{params.type}")
 
-		manager.get(params.type, 'default').then (stream) ->
-			bar = new visuals.Progress('Downloading Device OS')
-			spinner = new visuals.Spinner('Downloading Device OS (size unknown)')
+		version = options.version
+		if not version
+			version = 'default'
+			displayVersion = ''
+			console.warn('OS version is not specified, using the default version:
+				the newest stable (non-pre-release) version if available,
+				or the newest version otherwise (if all existing
+				versions for the given device type are pre-release)')
+		else
+			displayVersion = " #{version}"
+
+		manager.get(params.type, version).then (stream) ->
+			bar = new visuals.Progress("Downloading Device OS#{displayVersion}")
+			spinner = new visuals.Spinner("Downloading Device OS#{displayVersion} (size unknown)")
 
 			stream.on 'progress', (state) ->
 				if state?