diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 9d557c5c53..67bd4825df 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ OpenSSL Releases
 OpenSSL 3.0
 -----------
 
-### Changes between 1.1.1 and 3.0 [xx XXX xxxx]
+### Changes between 1.1.1 and 3.0 alpha 16 [6 May 2021]
 
  * Add "abspath" and "includedir" pragma's to config files, to prevent,
    or modify relative pathname inclusion.
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index c5811b9bde..ebe34ff7a4 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ OpenSSL Releases
 OpenSSL 3.0
 -----------
 
-### Major changes between OpenSSL 1.1.1 and OpenSSL 3.0 [under development]
+### Major changes between OpenSSL 1.1.1 and OpenSSL 3.0 alpha 16 [in pre-release]
 
   * Added suport for Kernel TLS (KTLS)
   * Changed the license to the Apache License v2.0.
diff --git a/VERSION.dat b/VERSION.dat
index 2e16aa375b..03c369ef56 100644
--- a/VERSION.dat
+++ b/VERSION.dat
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 MAJOR=3
 MINOR=0
 PATCH=0
-PRE_RELEASE_TAG=alpha16-dev
+PRE_RELEASE_TAG=alpha16
 BUILD_METADATA=
-RELEASE_DATE=""
+RELEASE_DATE="6 May 2021"
 SHLIB_VERSION=3