diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index c7955e159..3cdc2cdec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 ChangeLog :
 ===========
 
+2021/11/23 : 2.6-dev0
+    - MINOR: version: it's development again
+
 2021/11/23 : 2.5.0
     - BUILD: SSL: add quictls build to scripts/build-ssl.sh
     - BUILD: SSL: add QUICTLS to build matrix
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 437459cd9..e7602e7b1 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.5.0
+2.6-dev0
diff --git a/doc/configuration.txt b/doc/configuration.txt
index 62bf22660..737a0d3a0 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.txt
+++ b/doc/configuration.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
                                 HAProxy
                           Configuration Manual
                          ----------------------
-                              version 2.5
+                              version 2.6
                              willy tarreau
                               2021/11/23
 
diff --git a/doc/intro.txt b/doc/intro.txt
index 517ca2c3e..8c060045d 100644
--- a/doc/intro.txt
+++ b/doc/intro.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
                              -----------------------
                               HAProxy Starter Guide
                              -----------------------
-                                   version 2.5
+                                   version 2.6
 
 
 This document is an introduction to HAProxy for all those who don't know it, as
diff --git a/doc/management.txt b/doc/management.txt
index 146ae2e22..763f5f204 100644
--- a/doc/management.txt
+++ b/doc/management.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
                              ------------------------
                              HAProxy Management Guide
                              ------------------------
-                                   version 2.5
+                                   version 2.6
 
 
 This document describes how to start, stop, manage, and troubleshoot HAProxy,
diff --git a/include/haproxy/version.h b/include/haproxy/version.h
index d89d15a73..aded9fbd0 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/version.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/version.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #ifdef  CONFIG_PRODUCT_BRANCH
 #define PRODUCT_BRANCH    CONFIG_PRODUCT_BRANCH
 #else
-#define PRODUCT_BRANCH   "2.5"
+#define PRODUCT_BRANCH   "2.6"
 #endif
 
 #ifdef  CONFIG_PRODUCT_STATUS