diff --git a/.prev-version b/.prev-version
index 43b158476..fa97ecedc 100644
--- a/.prev-version
+++ b/.prev-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.8
+8.9
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 904362dda..2a71ca6e9 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 GNU coreutils NEWS                                    -*- outline -*-
 
+* Noteworthy changes in release ?.? (????-??-??) [?]
+
+
 * Noteworthy changes in release 8.9 (2011-01-04) [stable]
 
 ** Bug fixes
diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index a002a36aa..4df74f05d 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ bootstrap-tools = autoconf,automake,gnulib,bison
 # Now that we have better tests, make this the default.
 export VERBOSE = yes
 
-old_NEWS_hash = 5147e339b49d47675c34d0362060e973
+old_NEWS_hash = f2ebf9f1f16209f7a4b9927a755956fa
 
 # Add an exemption for sc_makefile_at_at_check.
 _makefile_at_at_check_exceptions = ' && !/^cu_install_program =/'