diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 016cf548803..4b92ce096f4 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1.2rc1"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"3.1.2rc1+"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 26b8a87d846..30234edf467 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 3.1.2?
+===========================
+
+*Release date: XXXX-XX-XX*
+
+Core and Builtins
+-----------------
+
+Library
+-------
+
+
 What's New in Python 3.1.2 release candidate 1?
 ===============================================