diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index af2064199..d2f0da2ac 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Noteworthy changes in version 2.4.2 (unreleased)
+Noteworthy changes in version 2.5.0 (unreleased)
 ------------------------------------------------
 
 
diff --git a/README b/README
index 84a8bacfd..97961369e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
                        The GNU Privacy Guard
                       =======================
-                            Version 2.4
+                         Version 2.5 (devel)
 
           Copyright 1997-2019 Werner Koch
           Copyright 1998-2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 24448c157..39cf5cbe0 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ min_automake_version="1.16.3"
 # another commit and push so that the git magic is able to work.
 m4_define([mym4_package],[gnupg])
 m4_define([mym4_major], [2])
-m4_define([mym4_minor], [4])
-m4_define([mym4_micro], [2])
+m4_define([mym4_minor], [5])
+m4_define([mym4_micro], [0])
 
 # To start a new development series, i.e a new major or minor number
 # you need to mark an arbitrary commit before the first beta release
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ AC_INIT([mym4_package],[mym4_version],[https://bugs.gnupg.org])
 # When changing the SWDB tag please also adjust the hard coded tags in
 # build-aux/speedo.mk, build-aux/getswdb.sh, and Makefile.am
 # As well as the source info for the man pages.
-AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GNUPG_SWDB_TAG, "gnupg24", [swdb tag for this branch])
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GNUPG_SWDB_TAG, "gnupg26", [swdb tag for this branch])
 
 NEED_GPGRT_VERSION=1.46