diff --git a/django/__init__.py b/django/__init__.py
index e552b26741..10155c3c53 100644
--- a/django/__init__.py
+++ b/django/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 from django.utils.version import get_version
 
-VERSION = (1, 10, 8, 'final', 0)
+VERSION = (1, 10, 9, 'alpha', 0)
 
 __version__ = get_version(VERSION)