diff --git a/lib/view.js b/lib/view.js
index 91b32e2fd38fa..e7e404e2ebb86 100644
--- a/lib/view.js
+++ b/lib/view.js
@@ -202,7 +202,10 @@ class View extends BaseCommand {
     const spec = npa(pkg)
 
     // get the data about this package
-    let version = spec.rawSpec || this.npm.config.get('tag')
+    let version = this.npm.config.get('tag')
+    // rawSpec is only a version if this is a registry spec
+    if (spec.type === 'registry' && spec.rawSpec)
+      version = spec.rawSpec
 
     const pckmnt = await packument(spec, opts)