diff --git a/spacy/about.py b/spacy/about.py
index e6999b136..6498f80ee 100644
--- a/spacy/about.py
+++ b/spacy/about.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ __license__ = 'MIT'
 __docs__ = 'https://spacy.io/docs/usage'
 __download_url__ = 'https://github.com/explosion/spacy-models/releases/download'
 __compatibility__ = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/explosion/spacy-models/master/compatibility.json'
-__shortcuts__ = {'en': 'en_core_web_sm', 'de': 'de_core_news_md', 'vectors': 'en_vectors_glove_md'}
+__shortcuts__ = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/explosion/spacy-models/master/shortcuts.json'
diff --git a/spacy/cli/download.py b/spacy/cli/download.py
index 06333eabf..0419de118 100644
--- a/spacy/cli/download.py
+++ b/spacy/cli/download.py
@@ -17,37 +17,45 @@ def download(model=None, direct=False):
     if direct:
         download_model('{m}/{m}.tar.gz'.format(m=model))
     else:
-        model_name = about.__shortcuts__[model] if model in about.__shortcuts__ else model
+        model_name = check_shortcut(model)
         compatibility = get_compatibility()
         version = get_version(model_name, compatibility)
         download_model('{m}-{v}/{m}-{v}.tar.gz'.format(m=model_name, v=version))
         link_package(model_name, model, force=True)
 
 
-def get_compatibility():
-    version = about.__version__
-    r = requests.get(about.__compatibility__)
+def get_json(url, desc):
+    r = requests.get(url)
     if r.status_code != 200:
         util.sys_exit(
-            "Couldn't fetch compatibility table. Please find the right model for "
-            "your spaCy installation (v{v}), and download it manually:".format(v=version),
+            "Couldn't fetch {d}. Please find the right model for your spaCy "
+            "installation (v{v}), and download it manually:".format(d=desc, v=about.__version__),
             "python -m spacy.download [full model name + version] --direct",
             title="Server error ({c})".format(c=r.status_code))
+    return r.json()
 
-    comp = r.json()['spacy']
+
+def check_shortcut(model):
+    shortcuts = get_json(about.__shortcuts__, "available shortcuts")
+    return shortcuts.get(model, model)
+
+
+def get_compatibility():
+    version = about.__version__
+    comp_table = get_json(about.__compatibility__, "compatibility table")
+    comp = comp_table['spacy']
     if version not in comp:
         util.sys_exit(
             "No compatible models found for v{v} of spaCy.".format(v=version),
             title="Compatibility error")
-    else:
-        return comp[version]
+    return comp[version]
 
 
 def get_version(model, comp):
     if model not in comp:
         util.sys_exit(
             "No compatible model found for "
-            "{m} (spaCy v{v}).".format(m=model, v=about.__version__),
+            "'{m}' (spaCy v{v}).".format(m=model, v=about.__version__),
             title="Compatibility error")
     return comp[model][0]