diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index be14282b7fffb9ba95d51c6546ed9816dc8f3ff8..dc74c5626d844ed25b2e921b99724782e45439d6 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.5.3
+0.5.3a
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index c99cd96537c21646f210db5738e1c4222afdca8a..658574dab9ee2a278480fd977d9fdbb7795ec90d 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 """ This is a reference implementation of a synapse home server.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.5.3"
+__version__ = "0.5.3a"