diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES b/RELEASE_NOTES
index 22fbab6bc..0054a21e2 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-"UNSTABLE Gramps 4.0.0 Alpha5 release.
+"UNSTABLE Gramps 4.0.0 beta release.
 
-This is a technology preview to allow plugin writers and packagers-installer 
-writers to update their plugins and scripts. This release is not production 
-ready, so use for testing!"
+This is a preview, so use for testing!"
 
 It is recommended to use Gramps 4.0.0 with python 3.2 so as to be ready 
 for the future (python 2.7 works though). 
diff --git a/gramps/version.py b/gramps/version.py
index d9fae4333..d87798d6e 100644
--- a/gramps/version.py
+++ b/gramps/version.py
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@
 # $Id$
 
 VERSION_TUPLE = (4, 0, 0)
-VERSION        = '.'.join(map(str,VERSION_TUPLE)) + 'alpha5'
+VERSION        = '.'.join(map(str,VERSION_TUPLE)) + 'beta'
 major_version = "%s.%s" % (VERSION_TUPLE[0], VERSION_TUPLE[1])