diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index ceecdfe9..4da4a06d 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # httr2 (development version)
 
+* `req_template()` now works when you have a bare `:` in a template that
+  uses "uri" style (#389).
+
 # httr2 1.0.0
 
 ## Function lifecycle
diff --git a/R/req-template.R b/R/req-template.R
index 98aa8716..278b292a 100644
--- a/R/req-template.R
+++ b/R/req-template.R
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ template_vars <- function(x, type) {
 }
 
 template_type <- function(x) {
-  if (grepl(":", x)) {
-    "colon"
-  } else if (grepl("\\{\\w+?\\}", x)) {
+  if (grepl("\\{\\w+?\\}", x)) {
     "uri"
+  } else if (grepl(":", x)) {
+    "colon"
   } else {
     "none"
   }
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-req-template.R b/tests/testthat/test-req-template.R
index b19d0887..219cc3ae 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-req-template.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-req-template.R
@@ -54,3 +54,9 @@ test_that("supports three template styles", {
   expect_equal(template_process("/{x}/"), "/x/")
   expect_equal(template_process("/constant"), "/constant")
 })
+
+test_that("can use colon in uri style", {
+  x <- "x"
+  expect_equal(template_process("/:{x}:/"), "/:x:/")
+})
+