diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 3e5c0b499cc6..72f3bf9dc225 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -628,6 +628,8 @@ jobs:
                   mkdir empty-<< parameters.template >>-no-install
                   cd empty-<< parameters.template >>-no-install
                   npx storybook init --yes --skip-install
+                  npm install
+                  npm run build-storybook
                 environment:
                   IN_STORYBOOK_SANDBOX: true
                   STORYBOOK_INIT_EMPTY_TYPE: << parameters.template >>
diff --git a/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.test.ts b/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..153edd0be596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import { JsPackageManager } from './JsPackageManager';
+
+vi.mock('../versions', () => ({
+  default: {
+    '@storybook/react': '8.3.0',
+  },
+}));
+
+describe('JsPackageManager', () => {
+  let jsPackageManager: JsPackageManager;
+  let mockLatestVersion: ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>;
+  let mockStorybookPackagesVersions: Record<string, string>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mockLatestVersion = vi.fn();
+    mockStorybookPackagesVersions = {
+      '@storybook/react': '8.3.0',
+    };
+
+    // @ts-expect-error Ignore abstract class error
+    jsPackageManager = new JsPackageManager();
+    jsPackageManager.latestVersion = mockLatestVersion;
+
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  describe('getVersionedPackages method', () => {
+    it('should return the latest stable release version when current version is the latest stable release', async () => {
+      mockLatestVersion.mockResolvedValue('8.3.0');
+
+      const result = await jsPackageManager.getVersionedPackages(['@storybook/react']);
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(['@storybook/react@^8.3.0']);
+    });
+
+    it('should return the current version when it is not the latest stable release', async () => {
+      mockLatestVersion.mockResolvedValue('8.3.1');
+
+      const result = await jsPackageManager.getVersionedPackages(['@storybook/react']);
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(['@storybook/react@8.3.0']);
+    });
+
+    it('should return the latest stable release version when there is no current version', async () => {
+      mockLatestVersion.mockResolvedValue('2.0.0');
+
+      const result = await jsPackageManager.getVersionedPackages(['@storybook/new-addon@^8.3.0']);
+
+      expect(result).toEqual(['@storybook/new-addon@^2.0.0']);
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.ts b/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.ts
index 4b3e00c2f5e7..305ba8d99ed2 100644
--- a/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/common/js-package-manager/JsPackageManager.ts
@@ -337,13 +337,13 @@ export abstract class JsPackageManager {
         const k = packageName as keyof typeof storybookPackagesVersions;
         const currentVersion = storybookPackagesVersions[k];
 
-        if (currentVersion === latestInRange) {
-          return `${packageName}`;
-        }
-        if (currentVersion) {
-          return `${packageName}@${currentVersion}`;
+        const isLatestStableRelease = currentVersion === latestInRange;
+
+        if (isLatestStableRelease || !currentVersion) {
+          return `${packageName}@^${latestInRange}`;
         }
-        return `${packageName}@^${latestInRange}`;
+
+        return `${packageName}@${currentVersion}`;
       })
     );
   }