diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 898c5a38c3..7117541fa0 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 
+3.1.0-dev.266 | 2019-11-14 17:29:00 -0800
+
+  * Add hint to run `make distclean` if configure fails (Simon Hardy-Francis, Corelight)
+
 3.1.0-dev.264 | 2019-11-14 16:57:13 -0800
 
   * Install test-all-policy.zeek script (Jon Siwek, Corelight)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 7b898cf707..ee9b997cfb 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3.1.0-dev.264
+3.1.0-dev.266
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index e2670eed5d..b30ccdc6d7 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 # Convenience wrapper for easily viewing/setting options that
 # the project's CMake scripts will recognize
 set -e
+
+trap '[ $? -eq 0 ] && exit 0 ||
+echo "Also, before re-running configure, consider cleaning the cache \
+(removing the build directory) via \`make distclean\`"' EXIT
+
 command="$0 $*"
 
 usage="\