diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5767f0a7d07a..64af72f16125 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 6
 PATCHLEVEL = 18
-SUBLEVEL = 8
+SUBLEVEL = 9
 EXTRAVERSION =
 NAME = Baby Opossum Posse