diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e69de29..55485e1 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0.8.9
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index bc600a0..812d085 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-VERSION=0.8.5
+VERSION=0.8.9
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c0319fe..2544a4c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 AC_PREREQ(2.57)
-AC_INIT([compizconfig-python],esyscmd(. ./VERSION;echo -n $VERSION), [livinglatexkali@gmail.com])
+AC_INIT([compizconfig-python], [0.8.9], [livinglatexkali@gmail.com])
 
-AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.9 dist-bzip2])
+AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.9 foreign dist-xz no-dist-gzip check-news])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER([config.h])
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AM_MAINTAINER_MODE