diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index fea6eae1e8d7..1671e19e4274 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	2
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1a2"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1a2+"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 2221abfd1e40..38cc7775087f 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,18 @@ Python News
 
 (editors: check NEWS.help for information about editing NEWS using ReST.)
 
+What's New in Python 3.1 beta 1?
+================================
+
+*Release date: XXXX-XX-XX*
+
+Core and Builtins
+-----------------
+
+Library
+-------
+
+
 What's New in Python 3.1 alpha 2?
 =================================