diff --git a/doc/source/conf.py b/doc/source/conf.py
index a6855d48..25bb2b24 100644
--- a/doc/source/conf.py
+++ b/doc/source/conf.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 # The short X.Y version.
 version = '1.17'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '1.17.0.dev0'
+release = '1.18.0.dev0'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
index 51850018..596fa96f 100644
--- a/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
+++ b/src/c/_cffi_backend.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #include <Python.h>
 #include "structmember.h"
 
-#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.17.0.dev0"
+#define CFFI_VERSION  "1.18.0.dev0"
 
 #ifdef MS_WIN32
 #include <windows.h>
diff --git a/src/c/test_c.py b/src/c/test_c.py
index ced4f821..7d9d9265 100644
--- a/src/c/test_c.py
+++ b/src/c/test_c.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def _capture_unraisable_hook(ur_args):
 # ____________________________________________________________
 
 import sys
-assert __version__ == "1.17.0.dev0", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
+assert __version__ == "1.18.0.dev0", ("This test_c.py file is for testing a version"
                                  " of cffi that differs from the one that we"
                                  " get from 'import _cffi_backend'")
 if sys.version_info < (3,):
diff --git a/src/cffi/__init__.py b/src/cffi/__init__.py
index 30946ac6..3be98e50 100644
--- a/src/cffi/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cffi/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from .error import CDefError, FFIError, VerificationError, VerificationMissing
 from .error import PkgConfigError
 
-__version__ = "1.17.0.dev0"
+__version__ = "1.18.0.dev0"
 __version_info__ = (1, 17, 0, 'dev0')
 
 # The verifier module file names are based on the CRC32 of a string that
diff --git a/src/cffi/_embedding.h b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
index 033e50cc..40b90f2c 100644
--- a/src/cffi/_embedding.h
+++ b/src/cffi/_embedding.h
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int _cffi_initialize_python(void)
 
         if (f != NULL && f != Py_None) {
             PyFile_WriteString("\nFrom: " _CFFI_MODULE_NAME
-                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.17.0.dev0"
+                               "\ncompiled with cffi version: 1.18.0.dev0"
                                "\n_cffi_backend module: ", f);
             modules = PyImport_GetModuleDict();
             mod = PyDict_GetItemString(modules, "_cffi_backend");