diff --git a/nbgrader/_version.py b/nbgrader/_version.py
index d1de8d60e..f6a40c37a 100644
--- a/nbgrader/_version.py
+++ b/nbgrader/_version.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-version_info = (0, 8, 0, ".dev", "0")
+version_info = (0, 8, 0, "a", "0")
 __version__ = ".".join(map(str, version_info[:3])) + "".join(version_info[3:])
diff --git a/nbgrader/nbextensions/assignment_list/main.js b/nbgrader/nbextensions/assignment_list/main.js
index eb34c0756..622ef4e35 100644
--- a/nbgrader/nbextensions/assignment_list/main.js
+++ b/nbgrader/nbextensions/assignment_list/main.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ define([
 ], function(Jupyter, $, utils, AssignmentList) {
     "use strict";
 
-    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0.dev0";
+    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0a0";
 
     var ajax = utils.ajax || $.ajax;
     // Notebook v4.3.1 enabled xsrf so use notebooks ajax that includes the
diff --git a/nbgrader/nbextensions/course_list/main.js b/nbgrader/nbextensions/course_list/main.js
index f54b4d627..b270ddce7 100644
--- a/nbgrader/nbextensions/course_list/main.js
+++ b/nbgrader/nbextensions/course_list/main.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ define([
 ], function(Jupyter, $, utils, CourseList) {
     "use strict";
 
-    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0.dev0";
+    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0a0";
 
     var ajax = utils.ajax || $.ajax;
     // Notebook v4.3.1 enabled xsrf so use notebooks ajax that includes the
diff --git a/nbgrader/nbextensions/validate_assignment/main.js b/nbgrader/nbextensions/validate_assignment/main.js
index a8f563fb2..aa0e17bb6 100644
--- a/nbgrader/nbextensions/validate_assignment/main.js
+++ b/nbgrader/nbextensions/validate_assignment/main.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ define([
 ], function ($, Jupyter, dialog, utils) {
     "use strict";
 
-    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0.dev0";
+    var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0a0";
 
     var ajax = utils.ajax || $.ajax;
     // Notebook v4.3.1 enabled xsrf so use notebooks ajax that includes the
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 03e85d9ec..f807f8456 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "nbgrader",
-  "version": "0.8.0",
+  "version": "0.8.0-alpha.0",
   "description": "nbgrader nodejs dependencies",
   "keywords": [
     "jupyter",
@@ -106,4 +106,4 @@
       ]
     }
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9797594dc..ae5c1ded6 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ ignore = ["nbgrader/labextension/**", "yarn.lock"]
 after-bump-version = ["python tools/post-bump.py"]
 
 [tool.tbump.version]
-current = "0.8.0.dev0"
+current = "0.8.0a0"
 regex = '''
   (?P<major>\d+)\.(?P<minor>\d+)\.(?P<patch>\d+)
   ((?P<channel>a|b|rc|.dev)(?P<release>\d+))?
diff --git a/src/assignment_list/index.ts b/src/assignment_list/index.ts
index 61d3cb9c8..a260a369f 100644
--- a/src/assignment_list/index.ts
+++ b/src/assignment_list/index.ts
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class AssignmentListWidget extends Widget {
   checkNbGraderVersion() {
     var warning = this.node.getElementsByClassName('version_error')[0] as HTMLDivElement;
     warning.hidden=false;
-    requestAPI<any>('nbgrader_version?version='+"0.8.0.dev0")
+    requestAPI<any>('nbgrader_version?version='+"0.8.0a0")
     .then(response => {
         if (!response['success']) {
           warning.innerText = response['message'];
diff --git a/src/course_list/index.ts b/src/course_list/index.ts
index e3d149e72..b74e6f2e5 100644
--- a/src/course_list/index.ts
+++ b/src/course_list/index.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class CourseListWidget extends Widget {
     }
 
     checkNbGraderVersion() {
-        let nbgrader_version = '0.8.0.dev0';
+        let nbgrader_version = '0.8.0a0';
         requestAPI<any>('nbgrader_version?version='+nbgrader_version)
             .then(response => {
                 if (!response['success']) {
diff --git a/src/validate_assignment/index.ts b/src/validate_assignment/index.ts
index fb2265590..f0dfe3f55 100644
--- a/src/validate_assignment/index.ts
+++ b/src/validate_assignment/index.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import { requestAPI } from './validateassignment';
 
 import { showNbGraderDialog, validate } from '../common/validate';
 
-var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0.dev0"; // TODO: hardcoded value
+var nbgrader_version = "0.8.0a0"; // TODO: hardcoded value
 
 const PLUGIN_ID = "nbgrader/validate-assignment"