diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index d8cacc6663..00fc0747e8 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+4.0.18
+
+
 4.0.17
  * Fix autocompletion for role names/user names (CASSANDRA-20175)
  * Re-apply: Tighten up permission on system keyspaces (CASSANDRA-20090)
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index c85fb8de84..367996d0fb 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     <property name="debuglevel" value="source,lines,vars"/>
 
     <!-- default version and SCM information -->
-    <property name="base.version" value="4.0.17"/>
+    <property name="base.version" value="4.0.18"/>
     <property name="scm.connection" value="scm:https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.developerConnection" value="scm:https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.url" value="https://gitbox.apache.org/repos/asf?p=cassandra.git"/>
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 9e7f49c8b2..5f90075a83 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+assandra (4.0.18) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * New release
+
+ -- Mick Semb Wever <mck@apache.org>  Thu, 07 Feb 2025 10:44:49 +0100
+
 cassandra (4.0.17) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   * New release