diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index ee6cdce3c29053ac99607147be5be250efa001bd..8b9dea59dc5796b06c058a67371c65d684c34d84 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.6.1
+0.6.1a
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index c3f1ac63be5b0e98e3b27d1329ba9541cc36a1b2..2195ad3177e4f04cfb96e4da480a8b4aca05472e 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 """ This is a reference implementation of a synapse home server.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.6.1"
+__version__ = "0.6.1a"