diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index dc343e3a..a6855d48 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = '1.16'
+version = '1.17'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '1.16.0rc1'
+release = '1.17.0.dev0'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8a2c5579..76733587 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def has_ext_modules(self):
 
 `Mailing list <https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/python-cffi>`_
 """,
-        version='1.16.0rc1',
+        version='1.17.0.dev0',
         python_requires='>=3.8',
         packages=['cffi'] if cpython else [],
         package_dir={"": "src"},
diff --git a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
index f2044638..76ed8f09 100644
--- a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
+++ b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #include <Python.h>
 #include "structmember.h"
 
-#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.16.0rc1"
+#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.17.0.dev0"
 
 #ifdef MS_WIN32
 #include <windows.h>
diff --git a/src/c/test_c.py b/src/c/test_c.py
index 59681742..1cdab10f 100644
--- a/src/c/test_c.py
+++ b/src/c/test_c.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def _testfunc(num):
 # ____________________________________________________________
 
 import sys
-assert __version__ == "1.16.0rc1", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
+assert __version__ == "1.17.0.dev0", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
                                  " of cffi that differs from the one that we"
                                  " get from 'import _cffi_backend'")
 if sys.version_info < (3,):
diff --git a/src/cffi/__init__.py b/src/cffi/__init__.py
index bcbaa1d3..30946ac6 100644
--- a/src/cffi/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cffi/__init__.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 from .error import CDefError, FFIError, VerificationError, VerificationMissing
 from .error import PkgConfigError
 
-__version__ = "1.16.0rc1"
-__version_info__ = (1, 16, 0, 'rc1')
+__version__ = "1.17.0.dev0"
+__version_info__ = (1, 17, 0, 'dev0')
 
 # The verifier module file names are based on the CRC32 of a string that
 # contains the following version number.  It may be older than __version__
diff --git a/src/cffi/_embedding.h b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
index 8af266e4..033e50cc 100644
--- a/src/cffi/_embedding.h
+++ b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int _cffi_initialize_python(void)
 
         if (f != NULL && f != Py_None) {
             PyFile_WriteString("\nFrom: " _CFFI_MODULE_NAME
-                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.16.0rc1"
+                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.17.0.dev0"
                                "\n_cffi_backend module: ", f);
             modules = PyImport_GetModuleDict();
             mod = PyDict_GetItemString(modules, "_cffi_backend");