diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index a45b979..9a03d0b 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="1.9.8" />
+    <property name="IMPL_VERSION" value="1.9.9" />
     <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 dba454f..be10e23 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION
@@ -1,13 +1,21 @@
-Version: 1.9.8
+Version: 1.9.9
 
 Release date:
-  28-Jun-2012
+  xx-xxx-2012
 
 Description:
   Another patch release for 1.9.
 
 Fixes:
 
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+=== History: ===
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+1.9.8 (28-Jun-2012)
+
+Fixes:
+
   * [Issue-6]: element count for PrettyPrinter, endObject wrong
    (reported by "thebluemountain")
   * [JACKSON-838]: Utf8StreamParser._reportInvalidToken() skips letters
@@ -20,11 +28,7 @@
   * [JACKSON-845] Problem with Object[][] deserialization, default typing
    (reported by Pawel J)
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-=== History: ===
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-1.9.7 [02-May-2012]
+1.9.7 (02-May-2012)
 
   Fixes: