diff --git a/src/dotnetaspire/devcontainer-feature.json b/src/dotnetaspire/devcontainer-feature.json
index c875622..01ecca0 100644
--- a/src/dotnetaspire/devcontainer-feature.json
+++ b/src/dotnetaspire/devcontainer-feature.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "id": "dotnetaspire",
-    "version": "1.1.0",
+    "version": "1.2.0",
     "name": ".NET Aspire",
     "documentationURL": "https://github.com/dotnet/aspire-devcontainer-feature",
     "description": "Installs Aspire. See https://aka.ms/dotnetaspire",
@@ -10,11 +10,16 @@
             "proposals": [
                 "latest daily",
                 "latest",
-                "9.3",
+                "9.3"
             ],
             "default": "latest",
             "description": "Select or enter an Aspire version. Use 'latest' for the latest supported version, '9.3.1' for the 9.3.1 version, 'X.Y' or 'X.Y.Z' for a specific version, or 'latest-daily' for the latest unsupported build."
         },
+        "installCli": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "default": true,
+            "description": "Whether to install the Aspire CLI."
+        }
     },
     "customizations": {
         "vscode": {
@@ -38,4 +43,4 @@
             "version": "latest"
         }
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/dotnetaspire/install.sh b/src/dotnetaspire/install.sh
index 2b5bd80..1dfa48d 100644
--- a/src/dotnetaspire/install.sh
+++ b/src/dotnetaspire/install.sh
@@ -10,16 +10,22 @@
 
 set -e
 
+# Set the current latest Aspire version here
+ASPIRE_LATEST_VERSION="9.4.0"
+
 # default to latest if not specified
 VERSION="${VERSION:-"latest"}"
+INSTALL_CLI="${INSTALLCLI:-"true"}"
 
-if [[ ! $VERSION =~ ^(9\.1|latest|latest-daily)$ ]]; then
-    echo "Error: VERSION must be either '9.1', '9.1.0', 'latest', or 'latest-daily' not: '$VERSION'."
+# Acceptable versions: 9.x, 9.x.x, latest, latest-daily
+if [[ ! $VERSION =~ ^(9\.[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)?|latest|latest-daily)$ ]]; then
+    echo "Error: VERSION must be a valid Aspire 9.x version (e.g., '9.1', '9.2.1'), 'latest', or 'latest-daily', not: '$VERSION'."
     exit 1
 fi
 
-if [[ $VERSION =~ ^(9\.1|9\.1\.0|latest)$ ]]; then
-    VERSION="9.1.0"
+# Map 'latest' to the current latest version
+if [[ $VERSION == "latest" ]]; then
+    VERSION="$ASPIRE_LATEST_VERSION"
 fi
 
 echo "Activating feature '.NET Aspire' version: $VERSION"
@@ -27,10 +33,7 @@ echo "Activating feature '.NET Aspire' version: $VERSION"
 # Before .NET Aspire 9.1 install required `dotnet workload`: this is no longer necessary, as Aspire is 
 # installed when restoring Aspire projects. It's only necessary to install the appropriate version of the templates.
 
-
-if [[ $VERSION =~ ^(9\.1\.0)$ ]]; then
-    dotnet new install --force Aspire.ProjectTemplates::$VERSION
-else
+if [[ $VERSION == "latest-daily" ]]; then
     # https://github.com/dotnet/aspire/blob/main/docs/using-latest-daily.md
     dotnet nuget add source --name dotnet9 https://pkgs.dev.azure.com/dnceng/public/_packaging/dotnet9/nuget/v3/index.json
 
@@ -44,6 +47,14 @@ else
     # </packageSourceMapping>
 
     dotnet new install Aspire.ProjectTemplates::*-* --force
+else
+    dotnet new install --force Aspire.ProjectTemplates::$VERSION
+fi
+
+# Optionally install the Aspire CLI if requested
+if [[ "${INSTALL_CLI,,}" == "true" ]]; then
+    echo "Installing Aspire CLI (prerelease)..."
+    curl -sSL https://aspire.dev/install.sh | bash
 fi
 
 echo "... done activating feature '.NET Aspire' version: $VERSION"