diff --git a/pkg/build/compile.go b/pkg/build/compile.go
index a2351dcde..517b4c5d8 100644
--- a/pkg/build/compile.go
+++ b/pkg/build/compile.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (t *Test) Compile(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 		// Append the subpackage that we're testing to be installed.
 		version := fmt.Sprintf("%s-r%d", t.Configuration.Package.Version, t.Configuration.Package.Epoch)
-		te.Packages = append(te.Packages, sp.Name+"="+version)
+		te.Packages = append(te.Packages, sp.Name+"~"+version)
 
 		if err := test.CompilePipelines(ctx, sm, sp.Test.Pipeline); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("compiling subpackage %q tests: %w", sp.Name, err)
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func (t *Test) Compile(ctx context.Context) error {
 			te.Packages = append(te.Packages, t.Package)
 		} else {
 			version := fmt.Sprintf("%s-r%d", t.Configuration.Package.Version, t.Configuration.Package.Epoch)
-			te.Packages = append(te.Packages, t.Configuration.Package.Name+"="+version)
+			te.Packages = append(te.Packages, t.Configuration.Package.Name+"~"+version)
 		}
 
 		if err := test.CompilePipelines(ctx, sm, cfg.Test.Pipeline); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/build/compile_test.go b/pkg/build/compile_test.go
index ad70084ef..08dd0cb65 100644
--- a/pkg/build/compile_test.go
+++ b/pkg/build/compile_test.go
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ func TestCompileTest(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	if got, want := test.Configuration.Test.Environment.Contents.Packages, []string{"main-base", "main=1.2.3-r4", "main-need"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+	if got, want := test.Configuration.Test.Environment.Contents.Packages, []string{"main-base", "main~1.2.3-r4", "main-need"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
 		t.Errorf("main test packages: want %v, got %v", want, got)
 	}
 
-	if got, want := test.Configuration.Subpackages[0].Test.Environment.Contents.Packages, []string{"subpackage-base", "subpackage=1.2.3-r4", "subpackage-need"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+	if got, want := test.Configuration.Subpackages[0].Test.Environment.Contents.Packages, []string{"subpackage-base", "subpackage~1.2.3-r4", "subpackage-need"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
 		t.Errorf("subpackage test packages: want %v, got %v", want, got)
 	}
 }