diff --git a/GIT_VERSION b/GIT_VERSION
deleted file mode 100644
index 6002f22fa25..00000000000
--- a/GIT_VERSION
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-$Format:%h$
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..57ad99d1ae1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.9-rc2