diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index df443c1f..1fd7c32e 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <target name="init">
         <property name="Name" value="helma"/>
         <property name="year" value="1998-${year}"/>
-        <property name="version" value="1.7.0"/>
+        <property name="version" value="1.7.0-rc1"/>
         <property name="project" value="helma"/>
 
         <property name="home.dir" value="."/>
diff --git a/src/helma/main/Server.java b/src/helma/main/Server.java
index bffe7412..3ec11d96 100644
--- a/src/helma/main/Server.java
+++ b/src/helma/main/Server.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import helma.util.ResourceProperties;
  */
 public class Server implements Runnable {
     // version string
-    public static final String version = "1.7.0 (__builddate__)";
+    public static final String version = "1.7.0-rc1 (__builddate__)";
 
     // static server instance
     private static Server server;