diff --git a/make/conf/version-numbers.conf b/make/conf/version-numbers.conf
index 3a937d12bda..a0c775cdb33 100644
--- a/make/conf/version-numbers.conf
+++ b/make/conf/version-numbers.conf
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ DEFAULT_VERSION_CLASSFILE_MINOR=0
 DEFAULT_VERSION_DOCS_API_SINCE=11
 DEFAULT_ACCEPTABLE_BOOT_VERSIONS="18 19 20"
 DEFAULT_JDK_SOURCE_TARGET_VERSION=20
-DEFAULT_PROMOTED_VERSION_PRE=
+DEFAULT_PROMOTED_VERSION_PRE=ea