diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 681f79b5..dbfd72c3 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+xbps-0.44 (???):
+
 xbps-0.43 (2014-12-31):
 
  * pcc >= 1.1.0 is now a supported compiler.
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 1b09c38c..dcb93db7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Try and be like autotools configure, but without autotools
 
-VERSION=0.43
+VERSION=0.44
 
 # Ensure that we do not inherit these from env
 OS=