diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index 4a039bb57..cbf7f8d12 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 0.8.0
+current_version = 0.8.1rc0
 commit = True
 tag = True
 parse = (?P<major>\d+)\.(?P<minor>\d+)\.(?P<patch>\d+)((?P<release>[a-z]+)(?P<candidate>\d+))?
diff --git a/lbrynet/__init__.py b/lbrynet/__init__.py
index 87d3b40dc..b32c70e32 100644
--- a/lbrynet/__init__.py
+++ b/lbrynet/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 
-__version__ = "0.8.0"
+__version__ = "0.8.1rc0"
 version = tuple(__version__.split('.'))
 
 logging.getLogger(__name__).addHandler(logging.NullHandler())
diff --git a/packaging/ubuntu/lbry.desktop b/packaging/ubuntu/lbry.desktop
index 9b22d9a5f..4a0456142 100644
--- a/packaging/ubuntu/lbry.desktop
+++ b/packaging/ubuntu/lbry.desktop
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [Desktop Entry]
-Version=0.8.0
+Version=0.8.1rc0
 Name=LBRY
 Comment=The world's first user-owned content marketplace
 Icon=lbry