diff --git a/NEWS.txt b/NEWS.txt
index 80776e8064..d513e65425 100644
--- a/NEWS.txt
+++ b/NEWS.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,14 @@ restore snapshots created with the previous major version using the
 using the provided 'sstableupgrade' tool.
 
 
+2.1.8
+=====
+
+Upgrading
+---------
+    - Nothing specific to this release, but please see 2.1 if you are upgrading
+      from a previous version.
+
 2.1.7
 =====
 
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index 18ad49fe03..bbb64a2e3a 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     <property name="debuglevel" value="source,lines,vars"/>
 
     <!-- default version and SCM information -->
-    <property name="base.version" value="2.1.7"/>
+    <property name="base.version" value="2.1.8"/>
     <property name="scm.connection" value="scm:git://git.apache.org/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.developerConnection" value="scm:git://git.apache.org/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.url" value="http://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf?p=cassandra.git;a=tree"/>
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index d7e1fd10e8..a540f387d3 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+cassandra (2.1.8) unstable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New release 
+
+ -- Jake Luciani <jake@apache.org>  Mon, 06 Jul 2015 11:18:23 -0400
+
 cassandra (2.1.7) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   * New release