diff --git a/src/calibre/constants.py b/src/calibre/constants.py
index 96e00e46c1..a0585212ff 100644
--- a/src/calibre/constants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/constants.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from functools import lru_cache
 from polyglot.builtins import environ_item, hasenv
 
 __appname__   = 'calibre'
-numeric_version = (8, 99, 7)
+numeric_version = (8, 99, 8)
 __version__   = '.'.join(map(str, numeric_version))
 git_version   = None
 __author__    = 'Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'