diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 13bef8c942..2b31f27275 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 AC_PREREQ([2.63])
 dnl To perform a release, follow the instructions in `docs/CONTRIBUTING.md`.
 m4_define([year_version], [2023])
-m4_define([release_version], [8])
+m4_define([release_version], [9])
 m4_define([package_version], [year_version.release_version])
 AC_INIT([libostree], [package_version], [walters@verbum.org])
 is_release_build=yes