diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 657f34e8feab..54a5e4531a97 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ def make_release_tree(self, base_dir, files):
         else []
     ),
     use_scm_version={
-        "version_scheme": "post-release",
+        "version_scheme": "release-branch-semver",
         "local_scheme": "node-and-date",
         "write_to": "lib/matplotlib/_version.py",
         "parentdir_prefix_version": "matplotlib-",