diff --git a/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml b/.github/workflows/PrepareNextIteration.yml
index 31cf588929..db06333c89 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:
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       pull-requests: write
       contents: write
+      actions: write
+
+    env:
+      GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      NEXT_VERSION: ${{ inputs.nextVersion }}
 
     steps:
 
@@ -21,14 +26,23 @@ jobs:
         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
+        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..1c15364416 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>9.6-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..1d64dba2fa 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
 
diff --git a/docs/pom.xml b/docs/pom.xml
index fc0ce165fd..440914ace2 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>docs</artifactId>
diff --git a/external-reports/pom.xml b/external-reports/pom.xml
index 764ef24b95..b444623e32 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>external-reports</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/autoscan/pom.xml b/its/autoscan/pom.xml
index 6aece8f8dd..f1611d64d9 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>9.6-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..821a7c9d00 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-extension-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml b/its/plugin/plugins/pom.xml
index 53453ca1e2..70e8dcb711 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin-plugins</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/pom.xml b/its/plugin/pom.xml
index a0b13e1a99..3b6668cdf3 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml b/its/plugin/tests/pom.xml
index e3d57a5c49..70f61a4a69 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-plugin-tests</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/pom.xml b/its/pom.xml
index 37020d8ea3..c72bcde16c 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-its</artifactId>
diff --git a/its/ruling/pom.xml b/its/ruling/pom.xml
index cb98756d78..6404f212d1 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>it-java-ruling</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-aws/pom.xml b/java-checks-aws/pom.xml
index 536d735f0e..e7e6b36398 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-aws</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-common/pom.xml b/java-checks-common/pom.xml
index 940d949b13..81190bf8d2 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>9.6-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..46058fc320 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>9.6-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..405b19f493 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>9.6-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..eb1c4c2007 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>9.6-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..455b660557 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>9.6-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..3486ad32d6 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>9.6-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..6fa41fcb0b 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>9.6-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..81e053a2cd 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>test-classpath-reader</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml b/java-checks-testkit/pom.xml
index 008dd9482d..9fd5ff3033 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks-testkit</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-checks/pom.xml b/java-checks/pom.xml
index c72ccb9dad..9af1a043f4 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-checks</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-frontend/pom.xml b/java-frontend/pom.xml
index 3c82dafd07..3e76c1aece 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-frontend</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-jsp/pom.xml b/java-jsp/pom.xml
index 5f96e1046c..8fbca3f198 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-jsp</artifactId>
diff --git a/java-surefire/pom.xml b/java-surefire/pom.xml
index 078aa970da..2ca281a579 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>java-surefire</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index df89bef411..d9071f0b2a 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>9.6-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..4a612a87e1 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>9.6-TESTING</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>sonar-java-plugin</artifactId>