diff --git a/zarr/meta.py b/zarr/meta.py
index bb4bae4199..b954144b57 100644
--- a/zarr/meta.py
+++ b/zarr/meta.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 # FLOAT_FILLS = {"NaN": np.nan, "Infinity": np.PINF, "-Infinity": np.NINF}
 
 _default_entry_point_metadata_v3 = {
-    "zarr_format": "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0",
-    "metadata_encoding": "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0",
+    "zarr_format": "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0-dev",
+    "metadata_encoding": "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0-dev",
     "metadata_key_suffix": ".json",
     "extensions": [],
 }
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ def decode_hierarchy_metadata(
         meta = cls.parse_metadata(s)
         # check metadata format
         # zarr_format = meta.get("zarr_format", None)
-        # if zarr_format != "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0":
+        # if zarr_format != "https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0-dev":
         #     raise MetadataError("unsupported zarr format: %s" % zarr_format)
         if set(meta.keys()) != {
             "zarr_format",
diff --git a/zarr/tests/test_storage_v3.py b/zarr/tests/test_storage_v3.py
index a33f274621..1c1f493359 100644
--- a/zarr/tests/test_storage_v3.py
+++ b/zarr/tests/test_storage_v3.py
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ def test_get_hierarchy_metadata():
     assert _get_hierarchy_metadata(store) == _default_entry_point_metadata_v3
 
     # ValueError if only a subset of keys are present
-    store['zarr.json'] = {'zarr_format': 'https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0'}
+    store['zarr.json'] = {'zarr_format': 'https://purl.org/zarr/spec/protocol/core/3.0-dev'}
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         _get_hierarchy_metadata(store)