diff --git a/.github/workflows/update-project-version.yml b/.github/workflows/update-project-version.yml
index af03a5566..c00363837 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update-project-version.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update-project-version.yml
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
     inputs:
       target_version:
-        description: 'next version (e.g., 1.9.7 or 1.9.7.12)'
+        description: 'next version (e.g., 1.9.8)'
         required: true
-        default: '1.9.7'
+        default: '1.9.8'
       target_soversion:
         description: 'next soversion (e.g., 28). leave blank to keep current.'
         required: false
@@ -60,18 +60,11 @@ jobs:
             MAJOR=$(echo "$VER" | cut -d. -f1)
             MINOR=$(echo "$VER" | cut -d. -f2)
             PATCH=$(echo "$VER" | cut -d. -f3)
-            QUALIFIER=$(echo "$VER" | cut -d. -f4 -s)
 
             sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING \".*\"/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING \"$VER\"/" include/json/version.h
             sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR [0-9]*/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR $MAJOR/" include/json/version.h
             sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR [0-9]*/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR $MINOR/" include/json/version.h
             sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH [0-9]*/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH $PATCH/" include/json/version.h
-            
-            if [ -n "$QUALIFIER" ]; then
-              sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER.*/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER $QUALIFIER/" include/json/version.h
-            else
-              sed -i "s/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER.*/#define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER/" include/json/version.h
-            fi
           fi
 
       - name: verify version macros
@@ -84,7 +77,6 @@ jobs:
             V_MAJ=$(grep "JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR" "$FILE" | head -n 1 | awk '{print $3}' | tr -cd '0-9')
             V_MIN=$(grep "JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR" "$FILE" | head -n 1 | awk '{print $3}' | tr -cd '0-9')
             V_PAT=$(grep "JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH" "$FILE" | head -n 1 | awk '{print $3}' | tr -cd '0-9')
-            V_QUA=$(grep "JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER" "$FILE" | head -n 1 | awk '{print $3}' | tr -cd '0-9')
 
             # create a unique delimiter for the multi-line output
             DELIM=$(dd if=/dev/urandom bs=15 count=1 2>/dev/null | base64)
@@ -95,7 +87,6 @@ jobs:
             echo "| MAJOR | \`$V_MAJ\` |" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             echo "| MINOR | \`$V_MIN\` |" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             echo "| PATCH | \`$V_PAT\` |" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-            echo "| QUALIFIER | \`${V_QUA:-empty}\` |" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
             echo "$DELIM" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
 
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bc8575fd1..0cc34c98a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ project(jsoncpp
         # 3. ./CMakeLists.txt
         # 4. ./MODULE.bazel
         # IMPORTANT: also update the PROJECT_SOVERSION!!
-        VERSION 1.9.7 # <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]
+        VERSION 1.9.8 # <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]
         LANGUAGES CXX)
 
 message(STATUS "JsonCpp Version: ${PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR}.${PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH}")
-set(PROJECT_SOVERSION 27)
+set(PROJECT_SOVERSION 28)
 
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/PreventInSourceBuilds.cmake)
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/PreventInBuildInstalls.cmake)
diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index e29304fa6..25b8bfc8c 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ module(
     # 3. /CMakeLists.txt
     # 4. /MODULE.bazel
     # IMPORTANT: also update the SOVERSION!!
-    version = "1.9.7",
+    version = "1.9.8",
     compatibility_level = 1,
 )
 
diff --git a/include/json/version.h b/include/json/version.h
index 555152c8c..1579c7807 100644
--- a/include/json/version.h
+++ b/include/json/version.h
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@
 // 4. /MODULE.bazel
 // IMPORTANT: also update the SOVERSION!!
 
-#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING "1.9.7"
+#define JSONCPP_VERSION_STRING "1.9.8"
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR 9
-#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH 7
-#define JSONCPP_VERSION_QUALIFIER
+#define JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH 8
 #define JSONCPP_VERSION_HEXA                                                   \
   ((JSONCPP_VERSION_MAJOR << 24) | (JSONCPP_VERSION_MINOR << 16) |             \
    (JSONCPP_VERSION_PATCH << 8))
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2648c3071..efcbaa43b 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ project(
   # 3. /CMakeLists.txt
   # 4. /MODULE.bazel
   # IMPORTANT: also update the SOVERSION!!
-  version : '1.9.7',
+  version : '1.9.8',
   default_options : [
     'buildtype=release',
     'cpp_std=c++11',
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ jsoncpp_lib = library(
     'src/lib_json/json_value.cpp',
     'src/lib_json/json_writer.cpp',
   ]),
-  soversion : 27,
+  soversion : 28,
   install : true,
   include_directories : jsoncpp_include_directories,
   cpp_args: dll_export_flag)