diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 8c1af78..e5b8a2f 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION		"2.6a1"
+#define PY_VERSION		"2.6a1+"
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
 #define PY_PATCHLEVEL_REVISION  "$Revision$"
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index ddf0cae..9186498 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 
 (editors: check NEWS.help for information about editing NEWS using ReST.)
 
+What's New in Python 2.6 alpha 2?
+=================================
+
+*Release date: XX-XXX-2008*
+
+
 What's New in Python 2.6 alpha 1?
 =================================