diff --git a/library/packaging/yum b/library/packaging/yum
index 15f086f6b81..1a77cf0f0b0 100644
--- a/library/packaging/yum
+++ b/library/packaging/yum
@@ -543,15 +543,18 @@ def install(module, items, repoq, yum_basecmd, conf_file, en_repos, dis_repos):
             # downgrade - the yum install command will only install or upgrade to a spec version, it will
             # not install an older version of an RPM even if specified by the install spec. So we need to
             # determine if this is a downgrade, and then use the yum downgrade command to install the RPM.
-            pkg_name = splitFilename(spec)[0]
-            pkgs = is_installed(module, repoq, pkg_name, conf_file, en_repos=en_repos, dis_repos=dis_repos, is_pkg=True)
-            if pkgs:
-                (cur_name, cur_ver, cur_rel, cur_epoch, cur_arch) = splitFilename(pkgs[0])
-                (new_name, new_ver, new_rel, new_epoch, new_arch) = splitFilename(spec)
+            split_pkg_name = splitFilename(spec)
+            # if the Name and Version match a version was not provided and this is not a downgrade.
+            if split_pkg_name[0] == split_pkg_name[1]:
+                pkg_name = split_pkg_name[0]
+                pkgs = is_installed(module, repoq, pkg_name, conf_file, en_repos=en_repos, dis_repos=dis_repos, is_pkg=True)
+                if pkgs:
+                    (cur_name, cur_ver, cur_rel, cur_epoch, cur_arch) = splitFilename(pkgs[0])
+                    (new_name, new_ver, new_rel, new_epoch, new_arch) = splitFilename(spec)
 
-                compare = compareEVR((cur_epoch, cur_ver, cur_rel), (new_epoch, new_ver, new_rel))
-                if compare > 0:
-                    downgrade = True
+                    compare = compareEVR((cur_epoch, cur_ver, cur_rel), (new_epoch, new_ver, new_rel))
+                    if compare > 0:
+                        downgrade = True
 
             # if not - then pass in the spec as what to install
             # we could get here if nothing provides it but that's not