diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_VERSION b/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_VERSION
index 991f4f3..5b65570 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_VERSION
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_PVXS_VERSION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 PVXS_MAJOR_VERSION = 1
 PVXS_MINOR_VERSION = 5
-PVXS_MAINTENANCE_VERSION = 0
+PVXS_MAINTENANCE_VERSION = 1
 
 # Version range conditions in Makefiles
 #
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ PVXS_MAINTENANCE_VERSION = 0
 #
 # ifneq ($(PVXS_X_Y_Z),YES)   # PVXS != X.Y.Z
 #
-PVXS_1_5_0 = YES
+PVXS_1_5_1 = YES
+PVXS_1_5_0 = NO
 PVXS_1_4_1 = NO
 PVXS_1_4_0 = NO
 PVXS_1_3_3 = NO
diff --git a/documentation/releasenotes.rst b/documentation/releasenotes.rst
index 4064753..323f2ab 100644
--- a/documentation/releasenotes.rst
+++ b/documentation/releasenotes.rst
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 Release Notes
 =============
 
+1.5.1 (UNRELEASED)
+------------------
+
+* Call ``epicsSignalInstallSigPipeIgnore()``.
+* When available, set ``SO_NOSIGPIPE`` on TCP sockets.
+* python: Handle setuptools v80 pkg_resources removal.
+
 1.5.0 (Jan 2026)
 ----------------
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 26699b4..b8eec60 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ build_dso.sub_commands.extend([
 
 
 pvxs_ver = '%(PVXS_MAJOR_VERSION)s.%(PVXS_MINOR_VERSION)s.%(PVXS_MAINTENANCE_VERSION)s'%pvxsversion
-#pvxs_ver += 'a1'
+pvxs_ver += 'a1'
 
 with open(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'README.md')) as F:
     long_description = F.read()