diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 5e1754f130..e9e9bc13c3 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ OpenSSL Releases
 OpenSSL 3.0
 -----------
 
-### Changes between 1.1.1 and 3.0 alpha 8 [5 Nov 2020]
+### Changes between 1.1.1 and 3.0 [xx XXX xxxx]
 
  * Add support for AES Key Wrap inverse ciphers to the EVP layer.
    The algorithms are:
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 1596a26f63..2ba338c745 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ OpenSSL Releases
 OpenSSL 3.0
 -----------
 
-### Major changes between OpenSSL 1.1.1 and OpenSSL 3.0 alpha 8 [in pre-release]
+### Major changes between OpenSSL 1.1.1 and OpenSSL 3.0 [under development]
 
   * Remove the `RAND_DRBG` API.
   * Deprecated the `ENGINE` API.
diff --git a/VERSION.dat b/VERSION.dat
index 24d73fd47e..f5ea270f5f 100644
--- a/VERSION.dat
+++ b/VERSION.dat
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 MAJOR=3
 MINOR=0
 PATCH=0
-PRE_RELEASE_TAG=alpha8
+PRE_RELEASE_TAG=alpha9-dev
 BUILD_METADATA=
-RELEASE_DATE="5 Nov 2020"
+RELEASE_DATE=""
 SHLIB_VERSION=3