diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index 8aa1ddbff1a4f3565c0cecc16411effd783fde3a..d50edfbec4ea795c3a3042249e38661be54ccbb3 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ MAINTENANCE_MODE = False
 MAINTENANCE_MODE_MESSAGE = None
 
 # Version ---------------------------------------------------------------------
-PROJECT_VERSION = '2.8.3'
+PROJECT_VERSION = '2.9.0'
 
 # Unauthenticated access ------------------------------------------------------
 # This variable should eventually control whether unauthenticated access is
diff --git a/config/settings/vm/base.py b/config/settings/vm/base.py
index 8e76c0565552bdf570645f80b10519ca7dbc1369..3c54be7ef41b2d73b03faf7de667fdd6ef08c0b7 100644
--- a/config/settings/vm/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/vm/base.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ MIDDLEWARE = [
     'django.middleware.cache.UpdateCacheMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.cache.FetchFromCacheMiddleware',
+    'django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
     'core.middleware.proxy.XForwardedForMiddleware',
     'user_sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.messages.middleware.MessageMiddleware',