diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index df8bd34..b3a2ecb 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 /*--start constants--*/
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION        3
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION        8
-#define PY_MICRO_VERSION        0
-#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL        PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_FINAL
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL       0
+#define PY_MICRO_VERSION        1
+#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL        PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_GAMMA
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL       1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION              "3.8.0+"
+#define PY_VERSION              "3.8.1rc1"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Version as a single 4-byte hex number, e.g. 0x010502B2 == 1.5.2b2.