diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 5552d6e9..d05c51c3 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  kombu - Messaging Framework for Python
 ========================================
 
-:Version: 2.5.6
+:Version: 3.0.0a1
 
 `Kombu` is a messaging framework for Python.
 
diff --git a/kombu/__init__.py b/kombu/__init__.py
index d1da62c4..f8516446 100644
--- a/kombu/__init__.py
+++ b/kombu/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Messaging Framework for Python"""
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-VERSION = (2, 5, 6)
+VERSION = (3, 0, 0, 'a1')
 __version__ = '.'.join(map(str, VERSION[0:3])) + ''.join(VERSION[3:])
 __author__ = 'Ask Solem'
 __contact__ = 'ask@celeryproject.org'