diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 112bb6f0fe..0aaf4c9dfe 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "openlayers",
-  "version": "4.4.2",
+  "version": "4.5.0-beta.1",
   "description": "Build tools and sources for developing OpenLayers based mapping applications",
   "keywords": [
     "map",
diff --git a/tasks/publish.sh b/tasks/publish.sh
index 4ae20c9c95..2db40905e0 100755
--- a/tasks/publish.sh
+++ b/tasks/publish.sh
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ main() {
   npm install
   build_js ${PROFILES}
   build_css
-  npm publish
+  npm publish --tag beta
 }
 
 if test ${#} -ne 1; then