diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7e47999934..bc12c87c34 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## unreleased for 3.0.0
+
+_Please add changes here that are only in the release-3.0 branch. These will be the source for the changelog when cutting the first release candidate for v3.0.0._
+
 ## unreleased
 
 ## 2.53.0 / 2024-06-16
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 261d95596f..4657faf0bd 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.53.0
+3.0.0-alpha.0