diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 5a5afc1723f..8e076ce6344 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -2,24 +2,24 @@
 	update = none
 	path = lib/linux_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-linux_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.5-release
 [submodule "lib/macos_arm64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/macos_arm64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-macos_arm64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.5-release
 [submodule "lib/macos_x64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/macos_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-macos_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.5-release
 [submodule "lib/windows_x64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/windows_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-windows_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.5-release
 [submodule "lib/windows_arm64"]
     update = none
 	path = lib/windows_arm64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-windows_arm64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.5-release
diff --git a/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake b/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
index cab987c2ea8..1cdd059e799 100644
--- a/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
+++ b/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 ## Update and uncomment this in the release branch
-# set(BLENDER_VERSION 3.1)
+set(BLENDER_VERSION 4.5)
 
 function(download_source dep)
   set(TARGET_FILE ${${dep}_FILE})
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
index b8df0c99dc7..2c1aef89b58 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 /** Blender patch version for bug-fix releases. */
 #define BLENDER_VERSION_PATCH 0
 /** Blender release cycle stage: alpha/beta/rc/release. */
-#define BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE alpha
+#define BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE beta
 /** Blender release type suffix. LTS or blank. */
 #define BLENDER_VERSION_SUFFIX