diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a148c6e99a5ef88bef8b99237b0ba386c7c1e2df..f9527652d7c330619a5cb29d095c2568cd854d07 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ Then copy your resulting wheel and install it via pip on the target system.
 
 # Changelog
 
+## v0.5.5
+
+* _TBA_
+
 ## v0.5.4
 
 * older TempsDB databases that do not support varlens will be updated upon opening
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8a70bd9429fbd6d925d58efba738f6b2f2cc7f3a..ad301cd357f40b6919eaaf1f6e316f1b1b6f8d25 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ ext_modules = build([Multibuild('tempsdb', find_pyx('tempsdb'),
                      **cythonize_kwargs)
 
 setup(name='tempsdb',
-      version='0.5.4',
+      version='0.5.5a1',
       packages=find_packages(include=['tempsdb', 'tempsdb.*']),
       install_requires=['satella>=2.14.24', 'ujson'],
       ext_modules=ext_modules,