diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index 53bf8c5c..3e89f459 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 Release notes for C-Blosc2
 ==========================
 
+Changes from 2.17.0 to 2.17.1
+=============================
+
+#XXX version-specific blurb XXX#
+
+
 Changes from 2.16.0 to 2.17.0
 =============================
 
diff --git a/include/blosc2.h b/include/blosc2.h
index 473b5f44..12eb74d4 100644
--- a/include/blosc2.h
+++ b/include/blosc2.h
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ extern "C" {
 /* Version numbers */
 #define BLOSC2_VERSION_MAJOR    2    /* for major interface/format changes  */
 #define BLOSC2_VERSION_MINOR    17   /* for minor interface/format changes  */
-#define BLOSC2_VERSION_RELEASE  0    /* for tweaks, bug-fixes, or development */
+#define BLOSC2_VERSION_RELEASE  1    /* for tweaks, bug-fixes, or development */
 
-#define BLOSC2_VERSION_STRING   "2.17.0"  /* string version.  Sync with above! */
+#define BLOSC2_VERSION_STRING   "2.17.1.dev"  /* string version.  Sync with above! */
 #define BLOSC2_VERSION_DATE     "$Date:: 2025-02-26 #$"    /* date version year-month-day */