diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index aaeb9863..2aac9d21 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+7/5/15 started 8.0.3
+
 4/5/15 started 8.0.2
 - fix a refcount error in C++ wrapper, thanks huskier
 - better C++ api test
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a917aa50..6f398429 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # also update the version number in the m4 macros below
 
-AC_INIT([vips], [8.0.2], [vipsip@jiscmail.ac.uk])
+AC_INIT([vips], [8.0.3], [vipsip@jiscmail.ac.uk])
 # required for gobject-introspection
 AC_PREREQ(2.62)
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 # user-visible library versioning
 m4_define([vips_major_version], [8])
 m4_define([vips_minor_version], [0])
-m4_define([vips_micro_version], [2])
+m4_define([vips_micro_version], [3])
 m4_define([vips_version],
           [vips_major_version.vips_minor_version.vips_micro_version])