diff --git a/pkg/cmd/install.go b/pkg/cmd/install.go
index 22c09bb0..6fe08e9d 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/install.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/install.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
+	config "github.com/alexellis/k3sup/pkg/config"
 	kssh "github.com/alexellis/k3sup/pkg/ssh"
 
 	homedir "github.com/mitchellh/go-homedir"
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ func MakeInstall() *cobra.Command {
 	command.Flags().String("local-path", "kubeconfig", "Local path to save the kubeconfig file")
 	command.Flags().String("k3s-extra-args", "", "Optional extra arguments to pass to k3s installer, wrapped in quotes (e.g. --k3s-extra-args '--no-deploy servicelb')")
 	command.Flags().Bool("merge", false, "Merge the config with existing kubeconfig if it already exists.\nProvide the --local-path flag with --merge if a kubeconfig already exists in some other directory")
+	command.Flags().String("k3s-version", config.K3sVersion, "Optional version to install, pinned at a default")
 
 	command.RunE = func(command *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
@@ -57,6 +59,8 @@ func MakeInstall() *cobra.Command {
 		merge, _ := command.Flags().GetBool("merge")
 		k3sExtraArgs, _ := command.Flags().GetString("k3s-extra-args")
 
+		k3sVersion, _ := command.Flags().GetString("k3s-version")
+
 		sshKeyPath := expandPath(sshKey)
 		fmt.Printf("ssh -i %s %s@%s\n", sshKeyPath, user, ip.String())
 
@@ -85,7 +89,8 @@ func MakeInstall() *cobra.Command {
 		defer operator.Close()
 
 		if !skipInstall {
-			installK3scommand := fmt.Sprintf("curl -sLS https://get.k3s.io | INSTALL_K3S_EXEC='server --tls-san %s %s' sh -\n", ip, k3sExtraArgs)
+			installK3scommand := fmt.Sprintf("curl -sLS https://get.k3s.io | INSTALL_K3S_EXEC='server --tls-san %s %s' INSTALL_K3S_VERSION='%s' sh -\n", ip, strings.TrimSpace(k3sExtraArgs), k3sVersion)
+
 			fmt.Printf("ssh: %s\n", installK3scommand)
 			res, err := operator.Execute(installK3scommand)
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/join.go b/pkg/cmd/join.go
index d30d7fa5..a62d3410 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/join.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/join.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"strings"
 
+	config "github.com/alexellis/k3sup/pkg/config"
 	kssh "github.com/alexellis/k3sup/pkg/ssh"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ func MakeJoin() *cobra.Command {
 	command.Flags().Int("ssh-port", 22, "The port on which to connect for ssh")
 	command.Flags().Bool("skip-install", false, "Skip the k3s installer")
 	command.Flags().String("k3s-extra-args", "", "Optional extra arguments to pass to k3s installer, wrapped in quotes (e.g. --k3s-extra-args '--node-taint key=value:NoExecute')")
+	command.Flags().String("k3s-version", config.K3sVersion, "Optional version to install, pinned at a default")
 
 	command.RunE = func(command *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
@@ -45,6 +47,8 @@ func MakeJoin() *cobra.Command {
 
 		k3sExtraArgs, _ := command.Flags().GetString("k3s-extra-args")
 
+		k3sVersion, _ := command.Flags().GetString("k3s-version")
+
 		sshKeyPath := expandPath(sshKey)
 		fmt.Printf("ssh -i %s %s@%s\n", sshKeyPath, user, serverIP.String())
 
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ func MakeJoin() *cobra.Command {
 
 		joinToken := string(res.StdOut)
 
-		setupAgent(serverIP, ip, port, user, sshKeyPath, joinToken, k3sExtraArgs)
+		setupAgent(serverIP, ip, port, user, sshKeyPath, joinToken, k3sExtraArgs, k3sVersion)
 
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -113,7 +117,7 @@ func MakeJoin() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func setupAgent(serverIP, ip net.IP, port int, user, sshKeyPath, joinToken string, k3sExtraArgs string) error {
+func setupAgent(serverIP, ip net.IP, port int, user, sshKeyPath, joinToken, k3sExtraArgs, k3sVersion string) error {
 
 	authMethod, closeSSHAgent, err := loadPublickey(sshKeyPath)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -139,7 +143,7 @@ func setupAgent(serverIP, ip net.IP, port int, user, sshKeyPath, joinToken strin
 
 	defer operator.Close()
 
-	getTokenCommand := fmt.Sprintf("curl -sfL https://get.k3s.io/ | K3S_URL='https://%s:6443' K3S_TOKEN='%s' sh -s - %s", serverIP.String(), strings.TrimSpace(joinToken), k3sExtraArgs)
+	getTokenCommand := fmt.Sprintf("curl -sfL https://get.k3s.io/ | K3S_URL='https://%s:6443' K3S_TOKEN='%s' INSTALL_K3S_VERSION='%s' sh -s - %s", serverIP.String(), strings.TrimSpace(joinToken), k3sVersion, k3sExtraArgs)
 	fmt.Printf("ssh: %s\n", getTokenCommand)
 
 	res, err := operator.Execute(getTokenCommand)
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..461e9c83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+package config
+
+// K3sVersion default version
+const K3sVersion = "v0.8.1"