diff --git a/extensions/positron-r/src/session.ts b/extensions/positron-r/src/session.ts
index 732a6e9ea086..9e9fe1086bfc 100644
--- a/extensions/positron-r/src/session.ts
+++ b/extensions/positron-r/src/session.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ import { getPandocPath } from './pandoc';
 interface RPackageInstallation {
 	packageName: string;
 	packageVersion: string;
-	checkAgainst: string;
-	checkResult: boolean;
+	minimumVersion: string;
+	compatible: boolean;
 }
 
 interface EnvVar {
@@ -388,15 +388,17 @@ export class RSession implements positron.LanguageRuntimeSession, vscode.Disposa
 	 * Gets information from the runtime about a specific installed package (or maybe not
 	 *   installed).
 	 * @param pkgName The name of the package to check.
-	 * @param checkAgainst Optionally, a minimum version to check for. This may seem weird, but we
+	 * @param minimumVersion Optionally, a minimum version to check for. This may seem weird, but we
 	 *   need R to compare versions for us. We can't easily do it over here.
 	 * @returns An instance of RPackageInstallation if the package is installed, `null` otherwise.
 	 */
-	async packageVersion(pkgName: string, checkAgainst?: string): Promise<RPackageInstallation | null> {
+	async packageVersion(pkgName: string,
+		minimumVersion: string | null = null,
+		refresh: boolean = false): Promise<RPackageInstallation | null> {
 		let pkg: any;
 		try {
-			if (checkAgainst) {
-				pkg = await this.callMethod('packageVersion', pkgName, checkAgainst);
+			if (minimumVersion) {
+				pkg = await this.callMethod('packageVersion', pkgName, minimumVersion);
 			} else {
 				pkg = await this.callMethod('packageVersion', pkgName);
 			}
@@ -413,8 +415,8 @@ export class RSession implements positron.LanguageRuntimeSession, vscode.Disposa
 		const pkgInst: RPackageInstallation = {
 			packageName: pkgName,
 			packageVersion: pkg.version,
-			checkAgainst: pkg.checkAgainst,
-			checkResult: pkg.checkResult
+			minimumVersion: minimumVersion ?? '0.0.0',
+			compatible: pkg.compatible
 		};
 
 		return pkgInst;
@@ -424,38 +426,38 @@ export class RSession implements positron.LanguageRuntimeSession, vscode.Disposa
 	 * Checks whether a package is installed in the runtime, possibly at a minimum version. If not,
 	 * prompts the user to install the package.
 	 * @param pkgName The name of the package to check.
-	 * @param pkgVersion Optionally, the version of the package needed.
+	 * @param minimumVersion Optionally, the version of the package needed.
 	 * @returns true if the package is installed, false otherwise
 	 */
 
-	async checkInstalled(pkgName: string, pkgVersion?: string): Promise<boolean> {
+	async checkInstalled(pkgName: string, minimumVersion: string | null = null): Promise<boolean> {
 		let pkgInst: RPackageInstallation | null = null;
-		if (pkgVersion) {
-			pkgInst = await this.packageVersion(pkgName, pkgVersion);
+		if (minimumVersion) {
+			pkgInst = await this.packageVersion(pkgName, minimumVersion);
 		} else {
 			pkgInst = await this.packageVersion(pkgName);
 		}
 
-		const isInstalled = pkgInst !== null;
+		const installed = pkgInst !== null;
 
-		if (isInstalled && pkgVersion === undefined) {
+		if (installed && minimumVersion === null) {
 			return true;
 		}
 
-		const isSufficient = pkgInst?.checkResult ?? false;
+		const compatible = pkgInst?.compatible ?? false;
 
-		if (isSufficient) {
+		if (compatible) {
 			return true;
 		}
 		// either the package is not installed or its version is insufficient
 
-		const title = isInstalled ? vscode.l10n.t('Insufficient package version') : vscode.l10n.t('Missing R package');
-		const message = isInstalled ?
+		const title = installed ? vscode.l10n.t('Insufficient package version') : vscode.l10n.t('Missing R package');
+		const message = installed ?
 			vscode.l10n.t(
 				'The {0} package is installed at version {1}, but version {2} is required.',
-				pkgName, pkgInst!.packageVersion, pkgVersion as string
+				pkgName, pkgInst!.packageVersion, minimumVersion as string
 			) : vscode.l10n.t('The {0} package is required, but not installed.', pkgName);
-		const okButtonTitle = isInstalled ? vscode.l10n.t('Update now') : vscode.l10n.t('Install now');
+		const okButtonTitle = installed ? vscode.l10n.t('Update now') : vscode.l10n.t('Install now');
 
 		const install = await positron.window.showSimpleModalDialogPrompt(
 			title,