diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 850369315b..41367d09e2 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2019.09
+2019.12-dev
diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index 114f9330b3..ff1ae7fb3e 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ use Friendica\Util\DateTimeFormat;
 
 define('FRIENDICA_PLATFORM',     'Friendica');
 define('FRIENDICA_CODENAME',     'Dalmatian Bellflower');
-define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2019.09');
+define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2019.12-dev');
 define('DFRN_PROTOCOL_VERSION',  '2.23');
 define('NEW_UPDATE_ROUTINE_VERSION', 1170);