diff --git a/README b/README
index 666ca143a..a2601ce12 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+                         *** Disclaimer ***
+                       *** during ongoing ***
+                        *** development ***
+
+The development branch is a work in progress and may not pass all quality
+tests, therefore it may harm your data. While we welcome bug reports from
+the development branch, we do not guarantee proper or timely fixes.
+
+      Broken functionality may arise from ongoing development work.
+
+                        Make proper backups.
+
+       Be aware that using the development branch involves risks.
+
+---
 
 Thank you for taking a look at taskwarrior!