diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6d9cf50d0da5a..0541c7e3088a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 - Add Setting to adjust the primary constraint weights ([#16471](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/16471))
 - Switch from `buildSrc/version.properties` to Gradle version catalog (`gradle/libs.versions.toml`) to enable dependabot to perform automated upgrades on common libs ([#16284](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/16284))
 - Add dynamic setting allowing size > 0 requests to be cached in the request cache ([#16483](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/16483/files))
+- Support installing plugin SNAPSHOTs with SNASPHOT distribution ([#16581](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/16581/files))
 
 ### Dependencies
 - Bump `com.azure:azure-storage-common` from 12.25.1 to 12.27.1 ([#16521](https://github.com/opensearch-project/OpenSearch/pull/16521))
diff --git a/distribution/tools/plugin-cli/src/main/java/org/opensearch/plugins/InstallPluginCommand.java b/distribution/tools/plugin-cli/src/main/java/org/opensearch/plugins/InstallPluginCommand.java
index 838d6e22a37bd..58e8d577f61a4 100644
--- a/distribution/tools/plugin-cli/src/main/java/org/opensearch/plugins/InstallPluginCommand.java
+++ b/distribution/tools/plugin-cli/src/main/java/org/opensearch/plugins/InstallPluginCommand.java
@@ -137,8 +137,6 @@
  */
 class InstallPluginCommand extends EnvironmentAwareCommand {
 
-    private static final String PROPERTY_STAGING_ID = "opensearch.plugins.staging";
-
     // exit codes for install
     /** A plugin with the same name is already installed. */
     static final int PLUGIN_EXISTS = 1;
@@ -307,14 +305,7 @@ void execute(Terminal terminal, List<String> pluginIds, boolean isBatch, Environ
     private Path download(Terminal terminal, String pluginId, Path tmpDir, boolean isBatch) throws Exception {
 
         if (OFFICIAL_PLUGINS.contains(pluginId)) {
-            final String url = getOpenSearchUrl(
-                terminal,
-                getStagingHash(),
-                Version.CURRENT,
-                isSnapshot(),
-                pluginId,
-                Platforms.PLATFORM_NAME
-            );
+            final String url = getOpenSearchUrl(terminal, Version.CURRENT, isSnapshot(), pluginId, Platforms.PLATFORM_NAME);
             terminal.println("-> Downloading " + pluginId + " from opensearch");
             return downloadAndValidate(terminal, url, tmpDir, true, isBatch);
         }
@@ -341,11 +332,6 @@ private Path download(Terminal terminal, String pluginId, Path tmpDir, boolean i
         return downloadZip(terminal, pluginId, tmpDir, isBatch);
     }
 
-    // pkg private so tests can override
-    String getStagingHash() {
-        return System.getProperty(PROPERTY_STAGING_ID);
-    }
-
     boolean isSnapshot() {
         return Build.CURRENT.isSnapshot();
     }
@@ -353,26 +339,24 @@ boolean isSnapshot() {
     /** Returns the url for an official opensearch plugin. */
     private String getOpenSearchUrl(
         final Terminal terminal,
-        final String stagingHash,
         final Version version,
         final boolean isSnapshot,
         final String pluginId,
         final String platform
     ) throws IOException, UserException {
         final String baseUrl;
-        if (isSnapshot && stagingHash == null) {
+        if (isSnapshot == false && version.isRelease() == false) {
             throw new UserException(
                 ExitCodes.CONFIG,
                 "attempted to install release build of official plugin on snapshot build of OpenSearch"
             );
         }
-        if (stagingHash != null) {
+        if (isSnapshot == true) {
             baseUrl = String.format(
                 Locale.ROOT,
-                "https://artifacts.opensearch.org/snapshots/plugins/%s/%s-%s",
+                "https://artifacts.opensearch.org/snapshots/plugins/%s/%s",
                 pluginId,
-                version,
-                stagingHash
+                version + "-SNAPSHOT"
             );
         } else {
             baseUrl = String.format(