diff --git a/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install.go b/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install.go
index a486910..4d0ab9c 100644
--- a/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install.go
+++ b/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ var (
 // addPkgInstallCommand adds the 'pkg install' command.
 func addPkgInstallCommand(parent *cobra.Command) {
 	installCmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "install <org/repo>",
+		Use:   "install [org/]repo",
 		Short: i18n.T("cmd.pkg.install.short"),
 		Long:  i18n.T("cmd.pkg.install.long"),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -45,12 +45,18 @@ func addPkgInstallCommand(parent *cobra.Command) {
 func runPkgInstall(repoArg, targetDir string, addToRegistry bool) error {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
-	// Parse org/repo
-	parts := strings.Split(repoArg, "/")
-	if len(parts) != 2 {
-		return errors.New(i18n.T("cmd.pkg.error.invalid_repo_format"))
+	// Parse repo shorthand:
+	// - repoName -> defaults to host-uk/repoName
+	// - org/repo  -> uses the explicit org
+	org := "host-uk"
+	repoName := repoArg
+	if strings.Contains(repoArg, "/") {
+		parts := strings.Split(repoArg, "/")
+		if len(parts) != 2 || parts[0] == "" || parts[1] == "" {
+			return errors.New(i18n.T("cmd.pkg.error.invalid_repo_format"))
+		}
+		org, repoName = parts[0], parts[1]
 	}
-	org, repoName := parts[0], parts[1]
 
 	// Determine target directory
 	if targetDir == "" {
diff --git a/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install_test.go b/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d0f75d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/core/pkgcmd/cmd_install_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package pkgcmd
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestRunPkgInstall_AllowsRepoShorthand_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	targetDir := filepath.Join(tmp, "packages")
+
+	originalGitClone := gitClone
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		gitClone = originalGitClone
+	})
+
+	var gotOrg, gotRepo, gotPath string
+	gitClone = func(_ context.Context, org, repoName, repoPath string) error {
+		gotOrg = org
+		gotRepo = repoName
+		gotPath = repoPath
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err := runPkgInstall("core-api", targetDir, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "host-uk", gotOrg)
+	assert.Equal(t, "core-api", gotRepo)
+	assert.Equal(t, filepath.Join(targetDir, "core-api"), gotPath)
+	_, err = os.Stat(targetDir)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestRunPkgInstall_AllowsExplicitOrgRepo_Good(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	targetDir := filepath.Join(tmp, "packages")
+
+	originalGitClone := gitClone
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		gitClone = originalGitClone
+	})
+
+	var gotOrg, gotRepo, gotPath string
+	gitClone = func(_ context.Context, org, repoName, repoPath string) error {
+		gotOrg = org
+		gotRepo = repoName
+		gotPath = repoPath
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	err := runPkgInstall("myorg/core-api", targetDir, false)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, "myorg", gotOrg)
+	assert.Equal(t, "core-api", gotRepo)
+	assert.Equal(t, filepath.Join(targetDir, "core-api"), gotPath)
+}
+
+func TestRunPkgInstall_InvalidRepoFormat_Bad(t *testing.T) {
+	err := runPkgInstall("a/b/c", t.TempDir(), false)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "invalid repo format")
+}
diff --git a/docs/cmd/pkg/index.md b/docs/cmd/pkg/index.md
index f531964..c609226 100644
--- a/docs/cmd/pkg/index.md
+++ b/docs/cmd/pkg/index.md
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@ core pkg search --refresh
 
 ## pkg install
 
-Clone a package from GitHub.
+Clone a package from GitHub. If you pass only a repo name, `core` assumes the `host-uk` org.
 
 ```bash
-core pkg install <org/repo> [flags]
+core pkg install [org/]repo [flags]
 ```
 
 ### Flags
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ core pkg install <org/repo> [flags]
 ### Examples
 
 ```bash
+# Clone from the default host-uk org
+core pkg install core-api
+
 # Clone to packages/
 core pkg install host-uk/core-php