diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 2ad6fb7..79ddbb7 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION	2
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION	6
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION	0
-#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_ALPHA
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	3
+#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_BETA
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION      	"2.6a3+"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"2.6b1"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */