diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index c3e1763677..818c7c3745 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ release=0
 # requirement is that it must be entirely printable ASCII characters
 # and have no white space.
 
-greek=a1
+greek=rc1
 
 # The date when this release was created
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ snapshot_version=${major}.${minor}.${release}${greek}-git
 # 2. Version numbers are described in the Libtool current:revision:age
 # format.
 
-libhwloc_so_version=0:0:0
+libhwloc_so_version=20:0:5
 libnetloc_so_version=0:0:0
 
 # Please also update the <TargetName> lines in contrib/windows/libhwloc.vcxproj
diff --git a/contrib/dist/make_dist_tarball b/contrib/dist/make_dist_tarball
index 7565e0edd4..b48a450625 100755
--- a/contrib/dist/make_dist_tarball
+++ b/contrib/dist/make_dist_tarball
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # Copyright © 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
 #                         All rights reserved.
 # Copyright © 2008-2013  Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
-# Copyright © 2012-2018 Inria.  All rights reserved.
+# Copyright © 2012-2021 Inria.  All rights reserved.
 # $COPYRIGHT$
 # 
 # Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@
 # Version of auto tools that we want
 #
 
-AM_TARGET_VERSION=1.14.1
-AC_TARGET_VERSION=2.69
-LT_TARGET_VERSION=2.4.2
+AM_TARGET_VERSION=1.16.3
+AC_TARGET_VERSION=2.71
+LT_TARGET_VERSION=2.4.6
 
 #
 # First things first -- check that the auto versions that we have are