diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index f7c033c..e745059 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ These are duplicated as local constants across files; keep them in sync when cha
 
 ## Installation / distribution
 
-`install.lua` is fetched and run on a machine via `wget run <raw-github-url>/install.lua`. It deletes old paths, re-downloads every file in `LIST_FILES` from the `master` branch raw GitHub URL, and runs `startup/servers.lua`. **When adding a new file that ships to machines, add it to `LIST_FILES` in `install.lua`** (and to `SERVERS` in `startup/servers.lua` if it's a server).
+`install.lua` is fetched and run on a machine via `wget run <raw-github-url>/install.lua`. It deletes old paths, re-downloads every file in `LIST_FILES` from the `master` branch raw GitHub URL by default, or from `next` when run with `--beta`, and runs `startup/servers.lua`. **When adding a new file that ships to machines, add it to `LIST_FILES` in `install.lua`** (and to `SERVERS` in `startup/servers.lua` if it's a server).
 
 ## Conventions
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 09ea0ca..b9cd7ad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 wget run https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/master/install.lua
 ```
 
+Install the beta branch:
+```
+wget run https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/next/install.lua --beta
+```
+
 ## APIs
 - `/apis/eventloop`: a simple event loop API.
 - `/apis/net`: an API to simplify sending and receiving routed messages, based on the `eventloop` library.
@@ -21,6 +26,7 @@ All servers are automatically started at boot.
 - `ping`: pings machines using `apis/net`.
 - `cube`: cube client for deployment. Use the `cube help` command for more details.
 - `goo`: turtle program for Just Dire Things goo block processing.
+- `upgrade`: upgrades the machine. Use `upgrade --beta` to install from the beta branch.
 
 ## Development
 See [DEVELOPMENT.md](./DEVELOPMENT.md) for development setup and workflow.
diff --git a/install.lua b/install.lua
index 8aec1e1..c37864c 100644
--- a/install.lua
+++ b/install.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-local _VERSION = '2.0.3'
+local _VERSION = '2.1.0'
+
+local command = ...;
 
 local LIST_FILES = {
   -- startup
@@ -18,6 +20,22 @@ local LIST_FILES = {
   'apis/eventloop.lua',
 };
 
+local function printUsage()
+  print('install usage:');
+  print();
+  print('\t\t\twget run <install-url>');
+  print('\t\t\twget run <install-url> --beta');
+end
+
+local branch = 'master';
+
+if command == '--beta' or command == '-beta' then
+  branch = 'next';
+elseif command ~= nil and command ~= '' then
+  printUsage();
+  return;
+end
+
 -- remove old files
 fs.delete('ping-server.lua'); -- replaced by `servers/ping-server.lua`
 fs.delete('ping.lua') -- replaced by `programs/ping.lua`
@@ -25,7 +43,7 @@ fs.delete('cube.lua') -- replaced by `programs/cube.lua`
 fs.delete('router.lua') -- replaced by `programs/router.lua`
 fs.delete('servers/cube-startup.lua'); -- replaced by `servers/cube-boot.lua`
 
-local REPO_PREFIX = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/master/'
+local REPO_PREFIX = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/' .. branch .. '/'
 
 local previousDir = shell.dir()
 
diff --git a/programs/upgrade.lua b/programs/upgrade.lua
index 0f4b201..752da3d 100644
--- a/programs/upgrade.lua
+++ b/programs/upgrade.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-local _VERSION = '1.0.0';
+local _VERSION = '1.1.0';
 
 local INSTALL_URL = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/master/install.lua';
+local BETA_INSTALL_URL = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/guillaumearm/cc-libs/next/install.lua';
 
 local command = ...;
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ local function printUsage()
   print('upgrade usage:');
   print();
   print('\t\t\tupgrade');
+  print('\t\t\tupgrade --beta');
   print('\t\t\tupgrade version');
   print('\t\t\tupgrade help');
 end
@@ -22,6 +24,11 @@ if command == 'help' or command == '-help' or command == '--help' then
   return;
 end
 
+if command == '--beta' or command == '-beta' then
+  shell.execute('wget', 'run', BETA_INSTALL_URL, '--beta');
+  return;
+end
+
 if command ~= nil and command ~= '' then
   printUsage();
   return;