diff --git a/.mergify.yml b/.mergify.yml
index e60530f5f53..e866ea01f3a 100644
--- a/.mergify.yml
+++ b/.mergify.yml
@@ -373,3 +373,17 @@ pull_request_rules:
         labels:
           - "backport"
         title: "[{{ destination_branch }}] {{ title }} (backport #{{ number }})"
+  - name: backport patches to 8.17 branch
+    conditions:
+      - merged
+      - base=8.x
+      - label=backport-8.17
+    actions:
+      backport:
+        assignees:
+          - "{{ author }}"
+        branches:
+          - "8.17"
+        labels:
+          - "backport"
+        title: "[{{ destination_branch }}] {{ title }} (backport #{{ number }})"
diff --git a/cmd/intake-receiver/version.go b/cmd/intake-receiver/version.go
index 7ba1efbea28..7aa3ef5263d 100644
--- a/cmd/intake-receiver/version.go
+++ b/cmd/intake-receiver/version.go
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@
 package main
 
 // version matches the APM Server's version
-const version = "8.17.0"
+const version = "8.18.0"
diff --git a/internal/version/version.go b/internal/version/version.go
index e0ffe391498..ceccaa35398 100644
--- a/internal/version/version.go
+++ b/internal/version/version.go
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@
 package version
 
 // Version holds the APM Server version.
-const Version = "8.17.0"
+const Version = "8.18.0"