diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index da940e34df017b225e50fc0f80fb58a8ffafbd2b..1b5c56b1a944fafaa89b84ed9ac7b9113efe6ebb 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ dnl You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
 dnl License along with this library.  If not, see
 dnl <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-AC_INIT([libvirt], [4.7.0], [libvir-list@redhat.com], [], [https://libvirt.org])
+AC_INIT([libvirt], [4.8.0], [libvir-list@redhat.com], [], [https://libvirt.org])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/libvirt.c])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
diff --git a/docs/news.xml b/docs/news.xml
index 7ccb10445b948bab0c9f5b34871d88d561445f56..9a17b2f612ecd237a01aa05b2aff236e01e761ae 100644
--- a/docs/news.xml
+++ b/docs/news.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@
      -->
 
 <libvirt>
+  <release version="v4.8.0" date="unreleased">
+    <section title="New features">
+    </section>
+    <section title="Improvements">
+    </section>
+    <section title="Bug fixes">
+    </section>
+  </release>
   <release version="v4.7.0" date="2018-09-03">
     <section title="New features">
       <change>