diff --git a/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in b/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
index 796fd485..dbc46fd2 100644
--- a/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
+++ b/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ package_qubes-vm-core() {
     provides=(qubes-core-agent=@VERSION@)
     conflicts=('pulseaudio-qubes<4.2.0')
     release=${BASH_REMATCH[1]}.${BASH_REMATCH[2]}
+    # temporarily pretend it is still R4.3, until repository for R4.4/5.0 is created
+    release=4.3
+
     depends=(
         dconf
         dosfstools
diff --git a/misc/Makefile b/misc/Makefile
index 8e6be5c9..af1e5f5e 100644
--- a/misc/Makefile
+++ b/misc/Makefile
@@ -58,3 +58,5 @@ install:
 
 marker-vm: marker-vm.in
 	printf "$(VERSION)" | cut -f 1,2 -d . | cat $< - > marker-vm
+	# temporarily force 4.3, until repository for 4.4/5.0 packages is created
+	printf "4.3" | cut -f 1,2 -d . | cat $< - > marker-vm