diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8a26b5937241469ff2657b333cbf1fc8474a13b4..ca2af1ab91ebadf6ac5c62150b4e72f2a1f1441d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 4
-PATCHLEVEL = 17
+PATCHLEVEL = 18
 SUBLEVEL = 0
-EXTRAVERSION =
+EXTRAVERSION = -rc1
 NAME = Merciless Moray
 
 # *DOCUMENTATION*