diff --git a/src/Composer/Package/Version/VersionSelector.php b/src/Composer/Package/Version/VersionSelector.php
index 3d367602e..563ba056a 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Package/Version/VersionSelector.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Package/Version/VersionSelector.php
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ use Composer\Package\Dumper\ArrayDumper;
  * Selects the best possible version for a package
  *
  * @author Ryan Weaver <ryan@knpuniversity.com>
+ * @author Jordi Boggiano <j.boggiano@seld.be>
  */
 class VersionSelector
 {
@@ -66,11 +67,11 @@ class VersionSelector
      * that should be used, for example, in composer.json.
      *
      * For example:
-     *  * 1.2.1         -> ~1.2
-     *  * 1.2           -> ~1.2
-     *  * v3.2.1        -> ~3.2
-     *  * 2.0-beta.1    -> ~2.0@beta
-     *  * dev-master    -> ~2.1@dev      (dev version with alias)
+     *  * 1.2.1         -> ^1.2
+     *  * 1.2           -> ^1.2
+     *  * v3.2.1        -> ^3.2
+     *  * 2.0-beta.1    -> ^2.0@beta
+     *  * dev-master    -> ^2.1@dev      (dev version with alias)
      *  * dev-master    -> dev-master    (dev versions are untouched)
      *
      * @param  PackageInterface $package
@@ -103,14 +104,12 @@ class VersionSelector
         // attempt to transform 2.1.1 to 2.1
         // this allows you to upgrade through minor versions
         $semanticVersionParts = explode('.', $version);
-        $op = '~';
 
         // check to see if we have a semver-looking version
         if (count($semanticVersionParts) == 4 && preg_match('{^0\D?}', $semanticVersionParts[3])) {
             // remove the last parts (i.e. the patch version number and any extra)
             if ($semanticVersionParts[0] === '0') {
                 unset($semanticVersionParts[3]);
-                $op = '^';
             } else {
                 unset($semanticVersionParts[2], $semanticVersionParts[3]);
             }
@@ -124,8 +123,8 @@ class VersionSelector
             $version .= '@'.$stability;
         }
 
-        // 2.1 -> ~2.1
-        return $op . $version;
+        // 2.1 -> ^2.1
+        return '^' . $version;
     }
 
     private function getParser()
diff --git a/tests/Composer/Test/Package/Version/VersionSelectorTest.php b/tests/Composer/Test/Package/Version/VersionSelectorTest.php
index 38893f148..6547e7056 100644
--- a/tests/Composer/Test/Package/Version/VersionSelectorTest.php
+++ b/tests/Composer/Test/Package/Version/VersionSelectorTest.php
@@ -93,14 +93,14 @@ class VersionSelectorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
     {
         return array(
             // real version, is dev package, stability, expected recommendation, [branch-alias]
-            array('1.2.1', false, 'stable', '~1.2'),
-            array('1.2', false, 'stable', '~1.2'),
-            array('v1.2.1', false, 'stable', '~1.2'),
-            array('3.1.2-pl2', false, 'stable', '~3.1'),
-            array('3.1.2-patch', false, 'stable', '~3.1'),
-            array('2.0-beta.1', false, 'beta', '~2.0@beta'),
-            array('3.1.2-alpha5', false, 'alpha', '~3.1@alpha'),
-            array('3.0-RC2', false, 'RC', '~3.0@RC'),
+            array('1.2.1', false, 'stable', '^1.2'),
+            array('1.2', false, 'stable', '^1.2'),
+            array('v1.2.1', false, 'stable', '^1.2'),
+            array('3.1.2-pl2', false, 'stable', '^3.1'),
+            array('3.1.2-patch', false, 'stable', '^3.1'),
+            array('2.0-beta.1', false, 'beta', '^2.0@beta'),
+            array('3.1.2-alpha5', false, 'alpha', '^3.1@alpha'),
+            array('3.0-RC2', false, 'RC', '^3.0@RC'),
             array('0.1.0', false, 'stable', '^0.1.0'),
             array('0.1.3', false, 'stable', '^0.1.3'),
             array('0.0.3', false, 'stable', '^0.0.3'),
@@ -112,15 +112,15 @@ class VersionSelectorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
             array('dev-master', true, 'dev', 'dev-master'),
             array('3.1.2-dev', true, 'dev', '3.1.2-dev'),
             // dev packages with alias inherit the alias
-            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '~2.1@dev', '2.1.x-dev'),
-            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '~2.1@dev', '2.1-dev'),
-            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '~2.1@dev', '2.1.3.x-dev'),
-            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '~2.0@dev', '2.x-dev'),
+            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^2.1@dev', '2.1.x-dev'),
+            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^2.1@dev', '2.1-dev'),
+            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^2.1@dev', '2.1.3.x-dev'),
+            array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^2.0@dev', '2.x-dev'),
             array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^0.3.0@dev', '0.3.x-dev'),
             array('dev-master', true, 'dev', '^0.0.3@dev', '0.0.3.x-dev'),
             // numeric alias
-            array('3.x-dev', true, 'dev', '~3.0@dev', '3.0.x-dev'),
-            array('3.x-dev', true, 'dev', '~3.0@dev', '3.0-dev'),
+            array('3.x-dev', true, 'dev', '^3.0@dev', '3.0.x-dev'),
+            array('3.x-dev', true, 'dev', '^3.0@dev', '3.0-dev'),
         );
     }