diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b91c3954e8..d322de95a3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #  initialize & set some vars
 # ============================
 
-AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.9.14])
+AC_INIT([strongSwan],[6.0.0rc1])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(m4_esyscmd([
 	echo tar-ustar
 	echo subdir-objects
diff --git a/testing/testing.conf b/testing/testing.conf
index 5abe327ed0..67cd34df44 100644
--- a/testing/testing.conf
+++ b/testing/testing.conf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fi
 : ${KERNELPATCH=ha-6.5-abicompat-raw-sockets.patch.bz2}
 
 # strongSwan version used in tests
-: ${SWANVERSION=5.9.14}
+: ${SWANVERSION=6.0.0rc1}
 
 # Build directory where the guest kernel and images will be built
 : ${BUILDDIR=$TESTDIR/build}