diff --git a/.prev-version b/.prev-version
index d4ce17d7d..5cb42eb14 100644
--- a/.prev-version
+++ b/.prev-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-9.11
+9.12
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 9a56897a5..b59f543ec 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 GNU coreutils NEWS                                    -*- outline -*-
 
+* Noteworthy changes in release ?.? (????-??-??) [?]
+
+
 * Noteworthy changes in release 9.12 (2026-09-14) [stable]
 
 ** Bug fixes
diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index a9f56edfb..45bef86c1 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export VERBOSE = yes
 # 4914152 9e
 export XZ_OPT = -8e
 
-old_NEWS_hash = 6be180da274a8719bdb5bf771502ef5b
+old_NEWS_hash = 078ebe66312fe06ceac192cd5a8423ec
 
 # Add an exemption for sc_makefile_at_at_check.
 _makefile_at_at_check_exceptions = \