diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 58be5dff1..d8d35f450 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -140,12 +140,14 @@ if (NOT EXISTS ${dfhack_SOURCE_DIR}/library/xml/codegen.pl OR NOT EXISTS ${dfhac
 endif()
 
 # set up versioning.
-set(DF_VERSION "0.44.05")
-set(DFHACK_RELEASE "r2")
-set(DFHACK_PRERELEASE FALSE)
+set(DF_VERSION "0.44.06")
+set(DFHACK_RELEASE "alpha0")
+set(DFHACK_PRERELEASE TRUE)
 
 set(DFHACK_VERSION "${DF_VERSION}-${DFHACK_RELEASE}")
 
+set(DFHACK_ABI_VERSION 1)
+
 ## where to install things (after the build is done, classic 'make install' or package structure)
 # the dfhack libraries will be installed here:
 IF(UNIX)
diff --git a/library/include/df/custom/creature_handler.methods.inc b/library/include/df/custom/creature_handler.methods.inc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..811128d05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library/include/df/custom/creature_handler.methods.inc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+friend struct world_raws;
diff --git a/library/xml b/library/xml
index 2794f8a6d..a6297f128 160000
--- a/library/xml
+++ b/library/xml
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 2794f8a6d7405d4858bac486a0bb17b94740c142
+Subproject commit a6297f128686407819fb7fe1e1fddd96606f30a0