diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index bb0943bf7..391cc0bab 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ upgrading your version of coverage.py.
     ..  Version 9.8.1 — 2027-07-27
     ..  --------------------------
 
+Unreleased
+----------
+
+Nothing yet.
+
+
 .. start-releases
 
 .. _changes_7-6-8:
diff --git a/coverage/version.py b/coverage/version.py
index cd75e7126..50c3e58e7 100644
--- a/coverage/version.py
+++ b/coverage/version.py
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 
 # version_info: same semantics as sys.version_info.
 # _dev: the .devN suffix if any.
-version_info = (7, 6, 8, "final", 0)
-_dev = 0
+version_info = (7, 6, 9, "alpha", 0)
+_dev = 1
 
 
 def _make_version(