diff --git a/pkg/airgap/update.go b/pkg/airgap/update.go
index a3b7582d92..b143bc8860 100644
--- a/pkg/airgap/update.go
+++ b/pkg/airgap/update.go
@@ -207,6 +207,11 @@ func UpdateAppFromPath(a *apptypes.App, airgapRoot string, airgapBundlePath stri
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to create new version")
 	}
 
+	// a version has been created, reset the "channel_changed" flag
+	if err := store.GetStore().SetAppChannelChanged(a.ID, false); err != nil {
+		logger.Error(errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to reset channel changed flag"))
+	}
+
 	hasStrictPreflights, err := store.GetStore().HasStrictPreflights(a.ID, newSequence)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to check if app preflight has strict analyzers")
@@ -318,12 +323,14 @@ func GetMissingRequiredVersions(app *apptypes.App, airgap *kotsv1beta1.Airgap) (
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to load license")
 	}
 
-	return getMissingRequiredVersions(airgap, license, appVersions.AllVersions)
+	return getMissingRequiredVersions(airgap, license, appVersions.AllVersions, app.ChannelChanged)
 }
 
-func getMissingRequiredVersions(airgap *kotsv1beta1.Airgap, license *kotsv1beta1.License, installedVersions []*downstreamtypes.DownstreamVersion) ([]string, error) {
+func getMissingRequiredVersions(airgap *kotsv1beta1.Airgap, license *kotsv1beta1.License, installedVersions []*downstreamtypes.DownstreamVersion, channelChanged bool) ([]string, error) {
 	missingVersions := make([]string, 0)
-	if len(installedVersions) == 0 {
+	// If no versions are installed, we can consider this an initial install.
+	// If the channel changed, we can consider this an initial install.
+	if len(installedVersions) == 0 || channelChanged {
 		return missingVersions, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/airgap/update_test.go b/pkg/airgap/update_test.go
index 9f341cdcc7..40180a907b 100644
--- a/pkg/airgap/update_test.go
+++ b/pkg/airgap/update_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ func Test_getMissingRequiredVersions(t *testing.T) {
 		airgap            *kotsv1beta1.Airgap
 		license           *kotsv1beta1.License
 		installedVersions []*downstreamtypes.DownstreamVersion
+		channelChanged    bool
 		wantSemver        []string
 		wantNoSemver      []string
 	}{
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ func Test_getMissingRequiredVersions(t *testing.T) {
 			license: &kotsv1beta1.License{
 				Spec: kotsv1beta1.LicenseSpec{},
 			},
+			channelChanged: true,
 			installedVersions: []*downstreamtypes.DownstreamVersion{
 				{
 					ChannelID:    "different-channel",
@@ -174,8 +176,8 @@ func Test_getMissingRequiredVersions(t *testing.T) {
 					UpdateCursor: "117",
 				},
 			},
-			wantNoSemver: []string{"0.1.115", "0.1.120", "0.1.123"},
-			wantSemver:   []string{"0.1.120", "0.1.123"},
+			wantNoSemver: []string{},
+			wantSemver:   []string{},
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -192,13 +194,13 @@ func Test_getMissingRequiredVersions(t *testing.T) {
 
 			// cursor based
 			tt.license.Spec.IsSemverRequired = false
-			got, err := getMissingRequiredVersions(tt.airgap, tt.license, tt.installedVersions)
+			got, err := getMissingRequiredVersions(tt.airgap, tt.license, tt.installedVersions, tt.channelChanged)
 			req.NoError(err)
 			req.Equal(tt.wantNoSemver, got)
 
 			// semver based
 			tt.license.Spec.IsSemverRequired = true
-			got, err = getMissingRequiredVersions(tt.airgap, tt.license, tt.installedVersions)
+			got, err = getMissingRequiredVersions(tt.airgap, tt.license, tt.installedVersions, tt.channelChanged)
 			req.NoError(err)
 			req.Equal(tt.wantSemver, got)
 		})