diff --git a/openedx/core/release.py b/openedx/core/release.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..409f8aa6d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openedx/core/release.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""
+Information about the release line of this Open edX code.
+"""
+
+# The release line: an Open edX release name ("ficus"), or "master".
+# This should always be "master" on the master branch, and will be changed
+# manually when we start release-line branches, like open-release/ficus.master.
+RELEASE_LINE = "master"
+
+
+def doc_version():
+    """The readthedocs.org version name used in documentation references.
+
+    Returns a short string like "latest" or "open-release-ficus.master".
+    """
+    if RELEASE_LINE == "master":
+        return "latest"
+    else:
+        return "open-release-{}.master".format(RELEASE_LINE)