diff --git a/docker/package/meta.py b/docker/package/meta.py
index 1aab06896..9fd832050 100644
--- a/docker/package/meta.py
+++ b/docker/package/meta.py
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ def __init__(
     open(f"{os.path.dirname(__file__)}/../../meta.json", "r")
 )
 packages_meta = PackagesMeta(
-    version=version,
+    # TODO: remove this in the next release
+    version=version + "b",
     release=str(meta_json_contents["release"]),
     ubuntu_epoch=2,
     fedora_epoch=1,
diff --git a/docker/package/model.py b/docker/package/model.py
index f36deae3b..c77e603b4 100644
--- a/docker/package/model.py
+++ b/docker/package/model.py
@@ -585,7 +585,8 @@ class TezosBakingServicesPackage(AbstractPackage):
     # native releases, so we append an extra letter to the version of
     # the package.
     # This should be reset to "" whenever the native version is bumped.
-    letter_version = "a"
+    # NOTE: do not change this until the related TODO in meta.py has been resolved
+    letter_version = ""
 
     buildfile = "setup.py"