diff --git a/chinese_whispers/__init__.py b/chinese_whispers/__init__.py
index 2315357..b4e3210 100644
--- a/chinese_whispers/__init__.py
+++ b/chinese_whispers/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     top_weighting,
 )
 
-__version__ = "0.8.2.post2"
+__version__ = "0.9.0rc1"
 __author__ = "Dmitry Ustalov"
 __credits__ = ["Alexander Panchenko", "Alexander Chambers", "Frederik Wille"]
 __copyright = "Copyright 2018-2024 Dmitry Ustalov"