diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0ceee0ccff..0d11ff9797 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0+
 
-VERSION = 2018
-PATCHLEVEL = 11
+VERSION = 2019
+PATCHLEVEL = 01
 SUBLEVEL =
-EXTRAVERSION =
+EXTRAVERSION = -rc1
 NAME =
 
 # *DOCUMENTATION*