diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 7336c11..62e24de 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     <property name="IMPL_TITLE_SMILE" value="Jackson Binary format (aka Smile) handling functionality" />
     <property name="IMPL_TITLE_MRBEAN" value="Jackson Bean Materializer (aka Mr. Bean)" />
 
-    <property name="IMPL_VERSION" value="1.9.5" />
+    <property name="IMPL_VERSION" value="1.9.6" />
     <property name="IMPL_VENDOR" value="http://fasterxml.com" />
 
     <patternset id="dist-all-source-files">
diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION b/release-notes/VERSION
index ba7db66..85a58ef 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
-Version: 1.9.5
+Version: 1.9.6
 
 Release date:
-  24-Feb-2012
+  xx-Mar-2012
 
 Description:
   Another patch release for 1.9.
   
   Fixes:
 
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+=== History: ===
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+1.9.5 [24-Feb-2012]
+
+  Fixes:
+
   * [JACKSON-757]: further fixing (1.9.4 had partial fix)
   * [JACKSON-773]: Bug in SimpleFilterProvider constructor
    (reported by Kenny M)
@@ -23,10 +31,6 @@
   * [JACKSON-796]: Problems with byte[] conversion to/from JsonNode.
    (reported by Christopher B)
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-=== History: ===
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 1.9.4 [20-Jan-2012]
 
   Fixes: