diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 80e765de54a..f1e513c4671 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION	2
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION	5
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION	6
-#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_ALPHA
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	0
+#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_GAMMA
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION		"2.5.5+"
+#define PY_VERSION		"2.5.6c1"
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
 #define PY_PATCHLEVEL_REVISION  "$Revision$"
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt b/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
index 5b2b4c7eb26..74971082f17 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+What's New in IDLE 1.2.6c1?
+===========================
+
+*Release date: 17-Apr-2011*
+
 What's New in IDLE 1.2.5?
 =========================
 
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py b/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
index df6aff7ae16..1dd637c20dd 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-IDLE_VERSION = "1.2.5"
+IDLE_VERSION = "1.2.6c1"
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 4db0b033056..d377b2a4ee2 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Python News
 What's New in Python 2.5.6c1?
 =============================
 
-*Release date: XX-XXX-2010*
+*Release date: 17-Apr-2010*
 
 Library
 -------
diff --git a/README b/README
index f8e6ce6a811..0fd2f5daa8d 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-This is Python version 2.5.5
-============================
+This is Python version 2.5.6c1
+==============================
 
 Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
 Python Software Foundation.  All rights reserved.