diff --git a/command/plugins_install.go b/command/plugins_install.go
index 3f086168cd8..b1d6c361318 100644
--- a/command/plugins_install.go
+++ b/command/plugins_install.go
@@ -160,6 +160,18 @@ func (c *PluginsInstallCommand) RunContext(buildCtx context.Context, args *Plugi
 			c.Ui.Error(err.Error())
 			return 1
 		}
+
+		hasPrerelease := false
+		for _, con := range constraints {
+			if con.Prerelease() {
+				hasPrerelease = true
+			}
+		}
+		if hasPrerelease {
+			c.Ui.Errorf("Unsupported prerelease for constraint %q", args.Version)
+			return 1
+		}
+
 		pluginRequirement.VersionConstraints = constraints
 	}
 
diff --git a/hcl2template/types.required_plugins.go b/hcl2template/types.required_plugins.go
index 59a8018004f..08fe694b3ac 100644
--- a/hcl2template/types.required_plugins.go
+++ b/hcl2template/types.required_plugins.go
@@ -141,6 +141,22 @@ func decodeRequiredPluginsBlock(block *hcl.Block) (*RequiredPlugins, hcl.Diagnos
 				})
 				continue
 			}
+
+			hadPrerelease := false
+			for _, constraint := range constraints {
+				if constraint.Prerelease() {
+					hadPrerelease = true
+				}
+			}
+			if hadPrerelease {
+				diags = diags.Append(&hcl.Diagnostic{
+					Severity: hcl.DiagError,
+					Summary:  "Invalid version constraint",
+					Detail:   fmt.Sprintf("Unsupported prerelease for constraint %q", constraintStr),
+					Subject:  attr.Expr.Range().Ptr(),
+				})
+			}
+
 			vc.Required = constraints
 			rp.Requirement = vc