diff --git a/easybuild/tools/version.py b/easybuild/tools/version.py
index e8cd07de4a..e4afeadc79 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/version.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/version.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 # recent setuptools versions will *TRANSFORM* something like 'X.Y.Zdev' into 'X.Y.Z.dev0', with a warning like
 #   UserWarning: Normalizing '2.4.0dev' to '2.4.0.dev0'
 # This causes problems further up the dependency chain...
-VERSION = LooseVersion('5.0.0.dev0')
+VERSION = LooseVersion('5.0.0beta1')
 UNKNOWN = 'UNKNOWN'
 UNKNOWN_EASYBLOCKS_VERSION = '0.0.UNKNOWN.EASYBLOCKS'