diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 28827f27f..c748bbe93 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ build-backend = "scikit_build_core.build"
 # ref: https://setuptools.pypa.io/en/latest/userguide/pyproject_config.html
 [project]
 name = "pyzmq"
-version = "26.0.0b1"
+version = "26.0.0b2"
 authors = [
   { name = "PyZMQ Contributors", email = "zeromq-dev@lists.zeromq.org" },
   { name = "Brian E. Granger" },
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ skip = ["zmq/__init__.py"]
 github_url = "https://github.com/zeromq/pyzmq"
 
 [tool.tbump.version]
-current = "26.0.0b1"
+current = "26.0.0b2"
 regex = '''
   (?P<major>\d+)
   \.
diff --git a/zmq/sugar/version.py b/zmq/sugar/version.py
index b98861121..bd0a9e56c 100644
--- a/zmq/sugar/version.py
+++ b/zmq/sugar/version.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 from zmq.backend import zmq_version_info
 
-__version__: str = "26.0.0b1"
+__version__: str = "26.0.0b2"
 _version_pat = re.compile(r"(\d+)\.(\d+)\.(\d+)(.*)")
 _match = cast(Match, _version_pat.match(__version__))
 _version_groups = _match.groups()