diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c5d508f..14cb9f3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
 env:
   # Customize the CMake build type here (Release, Debug, RelWithDebInfo, etc.)
   BUILD_TYPE: Release
-  version: osslsigncode-2.9
+  version: osslsigncode-2.10-dev
 
 jobs:
   build:
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 082935b..e7c0ee9 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ project(osslsigncode
     LANGUAGES C)
 
 # force nonstandard version format for development packages
-set(DEV "")
+set(DEV "-dev")
 set(PROJECT_VERSION "${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}${DEV}")
 
 # version and contact information
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index d21ef2d..57cdc0d 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # osslsigncode change log
 
+### 2.10 (unreleased)
+
 ### 2.9 (2024.06.29)
 
 - added a 64 bit long pseudo-random NONCE in the TSA request