diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 282da6bf..7876001e 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -26,9 +26,20 @@ if desktop_file_validate.found()
 endif
 
 # Appdata
+if is_release
+  development_release = ''
+else
+  development_release = '''
+    <release version="@0@" type="development" date="@1@">
+      <description>
+        <p>Development release.</p>
+      </description>
+    </release>'''.format(version.replace('-', '~'), release_date)
+endif
 appdata_conf = configuration_data()
 appdata_conf.set('app-id', application_id)
 appdata_conf.set('gettext-package', gettext_package)
+appdata_conf.set('development-release', development_release)
 appdata_file = i18n.merge_file(
   input: configure_file(
     input: '@0@.metainfo.xml.in.in'.format(base_id),
diff --git a/data/org.gnome.Fractal.metainfo.xml.in.in b/data/org.gnome.Fractal.metainfo.xml.in.in
index 7b3ae3bd..efe87d69 100644
--- a/data/org.gnome.Fractal.metainfo.xml.in.in
+++ b/data/org.gnome.Fractal.metainfo.xml.in.in
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     <content_attribute id="social-audio">intense</content_attribute>
   </content_rating>
 
-  <releases>
+  <releases>@development-release@
     <release version="5~alpha1" type="development" date="2022-09-25" urgency="high">
       <description>
         <p>Fractal 5.alpha1 is the first release since Fractal has been
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index db9565ca..fada686c 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ endif
 
 if is_release
   version = base_version
+  release_date = '' # should be unused with released versions
   application_id = base_id
 else
   vcs_tag = run_command('git', 'rev-parse', '--short', 'HEAD').stdout().strip()
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ else
   else
     version = '@0@-@1@'.format(base_version, vcs_tag)
   endif
+  release_date = run_command('git', 'show', '-s', '--format=%cI').stdout().strip()
   application_id = '@0@.@1@'.format(base_id, profile)
 endif