diff --git a/django/__init__.py b/django/__init__.py
index cfc2fbb321..ae6bf59d08 100644
--- a/django/__init__.py
+++ b/django/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from django.utils.version import get_version
 
-VERSION = (4, 0, 8, "final", 0)
+VERSION = (4, 0, 9, "alpha", 0)
 
 __version__ = get_version(VERSION)