diff --git a/novelwriter/__init__.py b/novelwriter/__init__.py
index 888cb4eb5..8fd466e92 100644
--- a/novelwriter/__init__.py
+++ b/novelwriter/__init__.py
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@
 __author__     = "Veronica Berglyd Olsen"
 __maintainer__ = "Veronica Berglyd Olsen"
 __email__      = "code@vkbo.net"
-__version__    = "2.8rc1"
-__hexversion__ = "0x020800c1"
+__version__    = "2.9a0"
+__hexversion__ = "0x020900a0"
 __date__       = "2025-11-30"
 __status__     = "Stable"
 __domain__     = "novelwriter.io"
diff --git a/sample/nwProject.nwx b/sample/nwProject.nwx
index a10ecf7e6..371e00991 100644
--- a/sample/nwProject.nwx
+++ b/sample/nwProject.nwx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
-<novelWriterXML appVersion="2.8rc1" hexVersion="0x020800c1" fileVersion="1.5" fileRevision="6" timeStamp="2025-11-28 09:14:17">
-  <project id="e2be99af-f9bf-4403-857a-c3d1ac25abea" saveCount="2306" autoCount="428" editTime="109323">
+<novelWriterXML appVersion="2.9a0" hexVersion="0x020900a0" fileVersion="1.5" fileRevision="6" timeStamp="2025-11-30 14:30:16">
+  <project id="e2be99af-f9bf-4403-857a-c3d1ac25abea" saveCount="2307" autoCount="428" editTime="109330">
     <name>Sample Project</name>
     <author>Jane Smith</author>
   </project>