diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES b/RELEASE_NOTES
index 5a45be8a56..7f7ade0c1e 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES
@@ -4,6 +4,43 @@ For more detailed information, please see the git log.
 These release notes can also be consulted at https://easybuild.readthedocs.io/en/latest/Release_notes.html.
 
 
+v4.9.3 (14 September 2024)
+--------------------------
+
+update/bugfix release
+
+- various enhancements, including:
+  - add support for `--extra-source-urls` to fetch sources from additional URLs (#4079)
+  - add definition for gmpflf toolchain (#4566, #4571)
+  - reuse pre-computed checksums (#4569)
+  - add `cuda_cc_space_sep` variant that does not have periods (#4583)
+  - add `--skip-sanity-check` option (#4590)
+  - add `GNU_FTP_SOURCE` template constant (#4597)
+  - improve error messages for empty easyconfigs (#4603)
+  - improve help string for `--dep-graph` (#4610)
+  - only call `_sanity_check_step_extensions` if `--skip-extensions` is not set (#4620)
+  - add support for `--software-commit` and an associated template `%(software_commit)s` (#4628)
+- various bug fixes, including:
+  - correctly evaluate result for `--dep-graph` (#4554)
+  - fix fetch progress bar showing to many files (#4568)
+  - resolve internal for imkl>=2021 version subdir via "latest" symlink (#4570)
+  - fix typo in message about including an easyblock from a commit (#4575)
+  - don't use special flags for `strict`, `precise`, `loose`, `veryloose` toolchain options on RISC-V (#4576)
+  - fix help text for `cuda_compute_capabilities` template (#4589)
+  - fix help message for `--http-headers-fields-urlpat` configuration option (#4594)
+  - fix `test_compiler_cache` in case `gcc` is available multiple times (#4599)
+  - handle post-install patches in check_checksums_for (#4605)
+  - fix `copy_file` with a folder as the target (#4609)
+  - allow for case where `homepage = None` when generating the docs (#4626)
+  - fix test_github_det_commit_status by using more recent commits (#4636)
+- other changes:
+  - clean up code that was only there to support Python 2.6 + avoid syntax warnings when parsing py2vs3/py.p2 with Python 3.x (#3788)
+  - use Intel's oneAPI Fortran compiler by default for version 2024.0.0 and newer (`oneapi_fortran` toolchain option set to `True`) (#4567)
+  - allow using Node 16 actions in CI (#4574)
+  - remove a superflous check in `EasyBlock.run_all_steps` (#4623)
+  - remove trailing dots from backup message produced by --inject-checksums (#4632)
+
+
 v4.9.2 (12 June 2024)
 ---------------------
 
diff --git a/easybuild/tools/version.py b/easybuild/tools/version.py
index 0f24a88023..6f8eefd00e 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/version.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/version.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 # recent setuptools versions will *TRANSFORM* something like 'X.Y.Zdev' into 'X.Y.Z.dev0', with a warning like
 #   UserWarning: Normalizing '2.4.0dev' to '2.4.0.dev0'
 # This causes problems further up the dependency chain...
-VERSION = LooseVersion('4.9.3.dev0')
+VERSION = LooseVersion('4.9.4.dev0')
 UNKNOWN = 'UNKNOWN'
 UNKNOWN_EASYBLOCKS_VERSION = '0.0.UNKNOWN.EASYBLOCKS'
 
diff --git a/test/framework/github.py b/test/framework/github.py
index c4eb8c8854..d899ad06a1 100644
--- a/test/framework/github.py
+++ b/test/framework/github.py
@@ -816,18 +816,21 @@ def test_github_det_commit_status(self):
         res = gh.det_commit_status('easybuilders', GITHUB_REPO, commit_sha, GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
         self.assertEqual(res, None)
 
-        # recent commit (2023-04-11) with cancelled checks (GitHub Actions only)
-        commit_sha = 'c074f0bb3110c27d9969c3d0b19dde3eca868bd4'
+        # recent commit with cancelled checks (GitHub Actions only);
+        # to update, use https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/actions?query=is%3Acancelled
+        commit_sha = '52b964c3387d6d6f149ec304f9e23f535e799957'
         res = gh.det_commit_status('easybuilders', 'easybuild-easyconfigs', commit_sha, GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
         self.assertEqual(res, 'cancelled')
 
-        # recent commit (2023-04-10) with failing checks (GitHub Actions only)
-        commit_sha = '1b4a45c62d7deaf19125756c46dc8f011fef66e1'
+        # recent commit with failing checks (GitHub Actions only)
+        # to update, use https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/actions?query=is%3Afailure
+        commit_sha = '85e6c2bbc2fd515a1d4dab607b8d43d0a1ed668f'
         res = gh.det_commit_status('easybuilders', 'easybuild-easyconfigs', commit_sha, GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
         self.assertEqual(res, 'failure')
 
-        # recent commit (2023-04-10) with successful checks (GitHub Actions only)
-        commit_sha = '56812a347acbaaa87f229fe319425020fe399647'
+        # recent commit with successful checks (GitHub Actions only)
+        # to update, use https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyconfigs/actions?query=is%3Asuccess
+        commit_sha = 'f82a563b8e1f8118c7c3ab23374d0e28e1691fea'
         res = gh.det_commit_status('easybuilders', 'easybuild-easyconfigs', commit_sha, GITHUB_TEST_ACCOUNT)
         self.assertEqual(res, 'success')