diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 008fcdc46..92cbf9449 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -5,6 +5,21 @@ Approximate change log for AVRDUDE by version.
 (For detailed changes, see the version control system logs.)
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+Changes since version 7.2:
+
+  * Major changes compared to the previous version:
+
+  * New devices supported:
+
+  * New programmers supported:
+
+  * Issues fixed:
+
+  * Pull requests:
+
+  * Internals:
+
+
 Changes in version 7.2:
 
   * Major changes compared to the previous version:
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 4b8425f05..c9d549de5 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # Process this file with autoconf to produce a configure script.
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.60)
-AC_INIT(avrdude, 7.2, avrdude-dev@nongnu.org)
+AC_INIT(avrdude, 7.2-20230720, avrdude-dev@nongnu.org)
 
 AC_CANONICAL_BUILD
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST