diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9bdb93053ee93..33c45a0cd8582 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 5
 PATCHLEVEL = 8
-SUBLEVEL = 17
+SUBLEVEL = 18
 EXTRAVERSION =
 NAME = Kleptomaniac Octopus