diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 81f670e..7264b3f 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ echo "file config.log: writing..."
 # default settings: initialize all vars here such that nothing is
 # leaked from the environment except for CC, CFLAGS and LDFLAGS
 
-VERSION=1.7.4
+VERSION=1.8-dev
 
 CC=`printf "all:\\n\\t@echo \\\$(CC)\\n" | make ${MAKE_FLAGS} -sf -`