diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index d0720f7d8c6..a62e175d966 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL       3
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION              "3.9.0a3"
+#define PY_VERSION              "3.9.0a3+"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Version as a single 4-byte hex number, e.g. 0x010502B2 == 1.5.2b2.