diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml b/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
index 0f94ec4..0d3a9cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-release.yaml
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ jobs:
       contents: write
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      # The exit status for grep -q is 0 if a match is found, 1 if not fund
+      - name: confirm that Version.is_development is 0
+        run: grep -q "Version.is_development = 0;" vbr/support/vbr_version.m
+      - name: confirm that the release tag matches release_notes.md
+        run: grep -q ${{ github.ref }} release_notes.md
       - uses: ncipollo/release-action@v1
         with:
           token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/release_notes.md b/release_notes.md
index a82e210..b9cd794 100644
--- a/release_notes.md
+++ b/release_notes.md
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
-# v1.1.3
+# v1.1.2dev
 
 ## New Features
+* new method: analytica_andrade, an 
 * updates to xfit_premelt: 
   * add direct melt effects from Yamauchi and Takei, 2024. The `xfit_premelt` method will use the updated parameter values when `VBR.in.anelastic.xfit_premelt.include_direct_melt_effect = 1;` (default is 0, a future VBRc version will change the default to 1).
   * change default exponential melt factor (the alpha in exp(-alpha*phi) in the viscosity relationship) from 25 to 30. 
 * add a `VBR_save` function for saving `VBR` structures 
 * add framework for handling temporary files in test suite
 * add convenience function, `full_nd`, to create filled arrays
+* add a development tag to version structure
 
 ## Bug fix
 * fix for undefined behavior of pre-melt scaling at Tn == 1.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vbr/support/vbr_version.m b/vbr/support/vbr_version.m
index f7d3dcc..4b55ef4 100644
--- a/vbr/support/vbr_version.m
+++ b/vbr/support/vbr_version.m
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@
     % return the current VBRc version
     Version.major = 1;
     Version.minor = 1;
-    Version.patch = 3;
+    Version.patch = 2;
     Version.version = [num2str(Version.major), '.', ...
                        num2str(Version.minor), '.', ...
                        num2str(Version.patch)];
+    Version.is_development = 1;
+    if Version.is_development == 1
+        Version.version = [Version.version, 'dev'];
+    end
 end
diff --git a/vbr/testing/test_vbr_version.m b/vbr/testing/test_vbr_version.m
index 3644dd1..ded816c 100644
--- a/vbr/testing/test_vbr_version.m
+++ b/vbr/testing/test_vbr_version.m
@@ -27,6 +27,20 @@
         TestResult.fail_message = msg;
     end
 
+    if isfield(version, 'is_development') == 0
+        TestResult.passed = false;
+        msg = '         vbr_version output missing is_development field';
+        disp(msg)
+        TestResult.fail_message = msg;
+    elseif version.is_development == 1
+        if strfind(version.version, 'dev') == 0
+            TestResult.passed = false;
+            msg = '         vbr_version missing dev tag';
+            disp(msg)
+            TestResult.fail_message = msg;
+        end
+    end
+
     % also check that the version gets attached to the VBR in a call
     VBR.in.elastic.methods_list={'anharmonic'};