diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5da6ffd69209a..ea3cb221d7c53 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 4
 PATCHLEVEL = 16
-SUBLEVEL = 8
+SUBLEVEL = 9
 EXTRAVERSION =
 NAME = Fearless Coyote