diff --git a/doc/wget.texi b/doc/wget.texi
index cb9581c6..214b02e7 100644
--- a/doc/wget.texi
+++ b/doc/wget.texi
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 @end iftex
 
 @c This should really be auto-generated!
-@set VERSION 1.8-dev
+@set VERSION 1.8-beta1
 @set UPDATED November 2001
 
 @dircategory Net Utilities
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index a203b69c..d337ab3f 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -1 +1 @@
-char *version_string = "1.8-dev";
+char *version_string = "1.8-beta1";