diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index def86a00..fb68d180 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on:
     branches:
     - master
     - "3.0"
-    - "2.16"
+    - "2.17"
     paths-ignore:
     - "README.md"
     - "release-notes/*"
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ on:
     branches:
     - master
     - "3.0"
-    - "2.16"
+    - "2.17"
     paths-ignore:
     - "README.md"
     - "release-notes/*"
diff --git a/jr-all/pom.xml b/jr-all/pom.xml
index 0d82ad2f..758bd71a 100644
--- a/jr-all/pom.xml
+++ b/jr-all/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-all</artifactId>
   <name>jackson-jr-all</name>
diff --git a/jr-annotation-support/pom.xml b/jr-annotation-support/pom.xml
index 5f12a552..168e5371 100644
--- a/jr-annotation-support/pom.xml
+++ b/jr-annotation-support/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-annotation-support</artifactId>
   <packaging>bundle</packaging>
diff --git a/jr-objects/pom.xml b/jr-objects/pom.xml
index 719f2397..bcd55e11 100644
--- a/jr-objects/pom.xml
+++ b/jr-objects/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-objects</artifactId>
   <packaging>bundle</packaging>
diff --git a/jr-retrofit2/pom.xml b/jr-retrofit2/pom.xml
index 91a78d96..f81e14ee 100644
--- a/jr-retrofit2/pom.xml
+++ b/jr-retrofit2/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-retrofit2</artifactId>
   <packaging>bundle</packaging>
diff --git a/jr-stree/pom.xml b/jr-stree/pom.xml
index f85b0eb0..54018bbd 100644
--- a/jr-stree/pom.xml
+++ b/jr-stree/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-stree</artifactId>
   <packaging>bundle</packaging>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index e7a09a5b..58addd35 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -3,12 +3,12 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson</groupId>
     <artifactId>jackson-base</artifactId>
-    <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   </parent>
   <groupId>com.fasterxml.jackson.jr</groupId>
   <artifactId>jackson-jr-parent</artifactId>
   <name>Parent pom for Jackson jr components</name>
-  <version>2.16.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>2.17.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <description>Parent pom for Jackson jr components
   </description>
diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION-2.x b/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
index 771d9ad5..0574ddb9 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ Modules:
 === Releases ===
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+2.17.0 (not yet released)
+
+-
+
 2.16.0 (15-Nov-2023)
 
 * Upgrade `retrofit` dependency to 2.9.0 (from 2.7.2)