diff --git a/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml b/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml
index 31cf588929..70232d2d84 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       nextVersion:
-        description: Version number of the next iteration
+        description: Version number of the next iteration (e.g. 8.4-SNAPSHOT)
         required: true
 
 jobs:
@@ -15,20 +15,35 @@ jobs:
       pull-requests: write
       contents: write
 
+    env:
+      GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      NEXT_VERSION: ${{ inputs.nextVersion }}
+
     steps:
 
       - name: Checkout Sources
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Update Version Number
-        env:
-          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-          NEXT_VERSION: ${{ inputs.nextVersion }}
+        id: update-version
         run: |
           git config user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
           git config user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
-          git checkout -b gh-action/next-iteration
+          git config --global core.autocrlf input
+          git config --global core.safecrlf true
+          BRANCH="gh-action/next-iteration.${{ github.run_id }}"
+          git checkout -b "${BRANCH}"
           mvn versions:set -DgenerateBackupPoms=false -DnewVersion="${NEXT_VERSION}"
           git commit -m 'Prepare next development iteration' -a
-          git push --set-upstream origin gh-action/next-iteration
-          gh pr create -B master --title 'Prepare next development iteration' --body ''
+          git push --set-upstream origin "${BRANCH}"
+          echo "branch=${BRANCH}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+      - name: Create Pull Request
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+        run: |
+          gh pr create --base master --title "Prepare next development iteration ${NEXT_VERSION}" --body ''
+
+      - name: Trigger Continuous Integration
+        run: |
+          gh workflow run build.yml --ref "${{ steps.update-version.outputs.branch }}"
diff --git a/check-list/pom.xml b/check-list/pom.xml
index 69245a9359..d1d0a0a20d 100644
--- a/check-list/pom.xml
+++ b/check-list/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
       <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
       <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-      <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
     </parent>
 
     <artifactId>check-list</artifactId>
diff --git a/docs/java-custom-rules-example/pom.xml b/docs/java-custom-rules-example/pom.xml
index ac70565483..254e531768 100644
--- a/docs/java-custom-rules-example/pom.xml
+++ b/docs/java-custom-rules-example/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>docs</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
 
diff --git a/docs/pom.xml b/docs/pom.xml
index fc0ce165fd..b19df5c70e 100644
--- a/docs/pom.xml
+++ b/docs/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>docs</artifactId>
diff --git a/external-reports/pom.xml b/external-reports/pom.xml
index 764ef24b95..709d73e753 100644
--- a/external-reports/pom.xml
+++ b/external-reports/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>external-reports</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/autoscan/pom.xml b/its/autoscan/pom.xml
index 6aece8f8dd..be58f94378 100644
--- a/its/autoscan/pom.xml
+++ b/its/autoscan/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-its</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-autoscan</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/plugins/java-extension-plugin/pom.xml b/its/plugin/plugins/java-extension-plugin/pom.xml
index bb8b1d86b8..199d5e7b53 100644
--- a/its/plugin/plugins/java-extension-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/its/plugin/plugins/java-extension-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>it-java-plugin-plugins</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-extension-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml b/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml
index 53453ca1e2..d3d1790302 100644
--- a/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml
+++ b/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>it-java-plugin</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin-plugins</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/pom.xml b/its/plugin/pom.xml
index a0b13e1a99..05bccd1b68 100644
--- a/its/plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/its/plugin/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-its</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml b/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml
index e3d57a5c49..0948e47f5d 100644
--- a/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml
+++ b/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>it-java-plugin</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin-tests</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/pom.xml b/its/pom.xml
index 37020d8ea3..be4fa9d8e1 100644
--- a/its/pom.xml
+++ b/its/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-its</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/ruling/pom.xml b/its/ruling/pom.xml
index cb98756d78..50e1451aac 100644
--- a/its/ruling/pom.xml
+++ b/its/ruling/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-its</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-ruling</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-aws/pom.xml b/java-checks-aws/pom.xml
index 536d735f0e..0a9508c9ad 100644
--- a/java-checks-aws/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-aws/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-aws</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-common/pom.xml b/java-checks-common/pom.xml
index 940d949b13..f3439c7a12 100644
--- a/java-checks-common/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-common/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-common</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/aws/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/aws/pom.xml
index 53fc552cc2..defe005dc4 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/aws/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/aws/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>aws</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/default/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/default/pom.xml
index 00d59ddbd0..0398da6f2e 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/default/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/default/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>default</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/java-17/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/java-17/pom.xml
index c48c50a867..0d5ef68401 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/java-17/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/java-17/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-17</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/pom.xml
index 44427f4adc..c13d571da9 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/spring-3.2/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/spring-3.2/pom.xml
index 23601dbf02..0d4d351079 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/spring-3.2/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/spring-3.2/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>spring-3.2</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/spring-web-4.0/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/spring-web-4.0/pom.xml
index 3b68ca576d..d6791b9242 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/spring-web-4.0/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/spring-web-4.0/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>spring-web-4.0</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-test-sources/test-classpath-reader/pom.xml b/java-checks-test-sources/test-classpath-reader/pom.xml
index 5fecf78ef0..8432693bdd 100644
--- a/java-checks-test-sources/test-classpath-reader/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-test-sources/test-classpath-reader/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java-checks-test-sources</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>test-classpath-reader</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml b/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml
index 008dd9482d..552648fb43 100644
--- a/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-testkit</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks/pom.xml b/java-checks/pom.xml
index c72ccb9dad..337354e2a5 100644
--- a/java-checks/pom.xml
+++ b/java-checks/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-frontend/pom.xml b/java-frontend/pom.xml
index 3c82dafd07..1c258b887a 100644
--- a/java-frontend/pom.xml
+++ b/java-frontend/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-frontend</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-jsp/pom.xml b/java-jsp/pom.xml
index 5f96e1046c..f9df69e9fd 100644
--- a/java-jsp/pom.xml
+++ b/java-jsp/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-jsp</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-surefire/pom.xml b/java-surefire/pom.xml
index 078aa970da..6453fce00a 100644
--- a/java-surefire/pom.xml
+++ b/java-surefire/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-surefire</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index df89bef411..f90622ebe3 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
   <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
   <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-  <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <name>SonarJava</name>
   <description>Code Analyzer for Java :: Parent POM</description>
diff --git a/sonar-java-plugin/pom.xml b/sonar-java-plugin/pom.xml
index 52bbe2e593..fcccf9152f 100644
--- a/sonar-java-plugin/pom.xml
+++ b/sonar-java-plugin/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.sonarsource.java</groupId>
     <artifactId>java</artifactId>
-    <version>8.24.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>9.4-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>sonar-java-plugin</artifactId>