diff --git a/.prev-version b/.prev-version
index 01351bda6..f5e5cc591 100644
--- a/.prev-version
+++ b/.prev-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.25
+8.26
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index c546217e3..9899aff8d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 GNU coreutils NEWS                                    -*- outline -*-
 
+* Noteworthy changes in release ?.? (????-??-??) [?]
+
+
 * Noteworthy changes in release 8.26 (2016-11-30) [stable]
 
 ** Bug fixes
diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index 92a41cf5d..4703e4afb 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export VERBOSE = yes
 # 4914152 9e
 export XZ_OPT = -8e
 
-old_NEWS_hash = 4cdc662ed636425161a383b9aa85b2eb
+old_NEWS_hash = 33e0d81904e66223883c8bc33c29a772
 
 # Add an exemption for sc_makefile_at_at_check.
 _makefile_at_at_check_exceptions = ' && !/^cu_install_prog/ && !/dynamic-dep/'