diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 29361ac90eee6..777b56796e02c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 7
 PATCHLEVEL = 2
-SUBLEVEL = 8
+SUBLEVEL = 9
 EXTRAVERSION = -rc3
 NAME = Baby Opossum Posse