diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e87217f..2a4e268 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ AWS_ARCHITECTURE           // (default: 'x86_64')
 AWS_DESCRIPTION            // (default: package.json.description or '')
 AWS_RUNTIME                // (default: 'nodejs16.x')
 AWS_PUBLISH                // (default: false)
-AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION       // (default: '')
+AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION       // (default: '') When set, Publish is automatically enabled to create a version and alias.
 AWS_VPC_SUBNETS            // (default: '')
 AWS_VPC_SECURITY_GROUPS    // (default: '')
 AWS_TRACING_CONFIG         // (default: '')
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ Options:
   -d, --description [AWS_DESCRIPTION]                   Lambda Description (default: "Command line tool for locally running and remotely deploying your node.js applications to Amazon Lambda.")
   -u, --runtime [AWS_RUNTIME]                           Lambda Runtime (default: "nodejs16.x")
   -p, --publish [AWS_PUBLISH]                           Lambda Publish (default: false)
-  -L, --lambdaVersion [AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION]            Lambda Function Version (default: "")
+  -L, --lambdaVersion [AWS_FUNCTION_VERSION]            Lambda Function Version. Creates a version and alias. Automatically enables Publish. (default: "")
   -b, --vpcSubnets [AWS_VPC_SUBNETS]                    Lambda Function VPC Subnet IDs (comma delimited) (default: "")
   -g, --vpcSecurityGroups [AWS_VPC_SECURITY_GROUPS]     Lambda VPC Security Group IDs (comma delimited) (default: "")
   -K, --kmsKeyArn [AWS_KMS_KEY_ARN]                     Lambda KMS Key ARN (default: "")
diff --git a/lib/main.js b/lib/main.js
index f163bb5..98203a2 100644
--- a/lib/main.js
+++ b/lib/main.js
@@ -229,8 +229,7 @@ Emulate only the body of the API Gateway event.
   _params (program, buffer) {
     const params = {
       FunctionName: program.functionName +
-        (program.environment ? '-' + program.environment : '') +
-        (program.lambdaVersion ? '-' + program.lambdaVersion : ''),
+        (program.environment ? '-' + program.environment : ''),
       Code: {},
       Handler: program.handler,
       Role: program.role,
@@ -240,6 +239,7 @@ Emulate only the body of the API Gateway event.
       Timeout: program.timeout,
       Architectures: program.architecture ? [program.architecture] : ['x86_64'],
       Publish: (() => {
+        if (program.lambdaVersion) return true
         if (typeof program.publish === 'boolean') {
           return program.publish
         }
diff --git a/test/main.js b/test/main.js
index 111372f..8c66755 100644
--- a/test/main.js
+++ b/test/main.js
@@ -279,18 +279,18 @@ describe('lib/main', function () {
       assert.match(params.FunctionName, functionNamePattern)
     })
 
-    it('appends version to original functionName', () => {
+    it('does not append version to functionName', () => {
       program.lambdaVersion = '2015-02-01'
       const params = lambda._params(program)
-      assert.equal(params.FunctionName, '___node-lambda-development-2015-02-01')
+      assert.equal(params.FunctionName, '___node-lambda-development')
       assert.match(params.FunctionName, functionNamePattern)
     })
 
-    it('appends version to original functionName (value not allowed by AWS)', () => {
-      program.lambdaVersion = '2015.02.01'
+    it('sets Publish to true when lambdaVersion is set', () => {
+      program.lambdaVersion = 'v1'
+      program.publish = false
       const params = lambda._params(program)
-      assert.equal(params.FunctionName, '___node-lambda-development-2015_02_01')
-      assert.match(params.FunctionName, functionNamePattern)
+      assert.isTrue(params.Publish)
     })
 
     it('appends VpcConfig to params when vpc params set', () => {
@@ -1682,11 +1682,10 @@ describe('lib/main', function () {
       })
     })
 
-    it('creates alias when publish and lambdaVersion are set', () => {
-      program.publish = true
+    it('creates alias when lambdaVersion is set', () => {
       program.lambdaVersion = 'v1'
       const params = lambda._params(program, null)
-      params.Publish = true
+      assert.isTrue(params.Publish)
       return lambda._deployToRegion(program, params, 'us-east-1').then((result) => {
         assert.equal(result.length, 4)
         assert.deepEqual(result[3], lambdaMockSettings.updateAlias)