diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4fcc4f90..3bc32b56 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ A [Magma](https://magmafoundation.org/) server, which is a combination of Forge
 
 By default, the "stable" channel is used, but you can set `MAGMA_CHANNEL` to "dev" to access dev channel versions.
 
-> **NOTE** there are limited base versions supported, so you will also need to  set `VERSION`, such as "1.12.2", ""
+> **NOTE** there are limited base versions supported, so you will also need to  set `VERSION`, such as "1.12.2", "1.16.5", etc.
 
 
 ### Running a Mohist server
diff --git a/start-deployForge b/start-deployForge
index 85d272fd..d34f1dea 100644
--- a/start-deployForge
+++ b/start-deployForge
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 . ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-utils
-export TYPE=FORGE
 : ${FORGEVERSION:=RECOMMENDED}
 isDebugging && set -x
 
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ elif [[ ! -e $FORGE_INSTALLER ]]; then
   log "ERROR: the given Forge installer doesn't exist : $FORGE_INSTALLER"
   exit 2
 else
-  shortForgeVersion=$VANILLA_VERSION-custom
+  shortForgeVersion=$VANILLA_VERSION-${FORGE_INSTALLER_CUSTOM_VERSION:-custom}
 fi
 
 installMarker="/data/.forge-installed-$shortForgeVersion"
diff --git a/start-deployMagma b/start-deployMagma
index d56f1fdd..f285af17 100644
--- a/start-deployMagma
+++ b/start-deployMagma
@@ -1,23 +1,93 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 . ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-utils
+export SKIP_LOG4J_CONFIG=true
 
 isDebugging && set -x
 
+: ${VANILLA_VERSION?}
 # stable, dev
 : ${MAGMA_CHANNEL:=stable}
 
-export SERVER="/data/magma-server-${VANILLA_VERSION}.jar"
 
-# Always download since new updates of each base version are published frequently
-if ! curl -o /data/magma-server-${VANILLA_VERSION}.jar -fsSL \
-  https://api.magmafoundation.org/api/resources/Magma/${VANILLA_VERSION}/${MAGMA_CHANNEL}/latest/download; then
-  log "ERROR unable to download version ${VANILLA_VERSION} of Magma in ${MAGMA_CHANNEL} channel"
-  log "      Check https://magmafoundation.org/ for available versions"
+magmaDownloadServer() {
+  url=${1?}
+  tagName=${2?}
+  markerFile=${3?}
+
+  export SERVER="/data/magma-server-${VANILLA_VERSION}.jar"
+
+  log "Downloading Magma server file for ${VANILLA_VERSION} @ ${tagName}"
+  if ! curl -o /data/magma-server-${VANILLA_VERSION}.jar -fsSL "$url"; then
+    log "ERROR failed to download Magma server from $url (status=$?)"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  echo -n "$SERVER" > "$markerFile"
+}
+
+magmaHandleInstaller() {
+  url=${1?}
+  tagName=${2?}
+  markerFile=${3?}
+
+  installerFile="magma-installer-${VANILLA_VERSION}-${tagName}.jar"
+  log "Downloading Magma installer file for ${VANILLA_VERSION} @ ${tagName}"
+  if ! curl -o "$installerFile" -fsSL "$url"; then
+    log "ERROR failed to download Magma installer from $url (status=$?)"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  echo "forge" > "$markerFile"
+
+  export FORGE_INSTALLER="$installerFile"
+  export FORGE_INSTALLER_CUSTOM_VERSION="$tagName"
+
+  # now hand off the rest to forge
+  exec ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-deployForge "$@"
+}
+
+latestMeta=$(curl -fsSL https://api.magmafoundation.org/api/resources/Magma/${VANILLA_VERSION}/${MAGMA_CHANNEL}/latest || exit $?)
+if [ $? != 0 ]; then
+  log "ERROR failed to locate latest Magma info for ${VANILLA_VERSION} in channel ${MAGMA_CHANNEL} (error=$?)"
   exit 1
 fi
 
-export SKIP_LOG4J_CONFIG=true
+tagName=$(echo "${latestMeta}" | jq -r '.tag_name')
+markerFile=".magma-installed-${VANILLA_VERSION}-${tagName}"
+if [ -f "${markerFile}" ]; then
+  installedTagName=$(cat "${markerFile}")
+fi
+
+if [ ! -f "${markerFile}" ]; then
+
+  if versionLessThan 1.16; then
+    assetType=server
+  else
+    assetType=installer
+  fi
+
+  assetUrl=$(echo "${latestMeta}" | jq -r ".assets | .[].browser_download_url | select(test(\"${assetType}\"))")
+  if [ $? != 0 ] || [ -z "$assetUrl" ]; then
+    log "ERROR failed to extract ${assetType} asset type for ${VANILLA_VERSION} in channel ${MAGMA_CHANNEL}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  if [[ ${assetType} = server ]]; then
+    magmaDownloadServer "$assetUrl" "$tagName" "$markerFile"
+  else
+    magmaHandleInstaller "$assetUrl" "$tagName" "$markerFile"
+  fi
+else
+  export SERVER=$(cat "${markerFile}")
+
+  if [[ $SERVER == "forge" ]]; then
+    export FORGE_INSTALLER="magma-installer-${VANILLA_VERSION}-${tagName}.jar"
+    export FORGE_INSTALLER_CUSTOM_VERSION="$tagName"
+    # now hand off the rest to forge
+    exec ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-deployForge "$@"
+  fi
+fi
 
 # Continue to Final Setup
 exec ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-finalSetupWorld $@