diff --git a/ez_setup.py b/ez_setup.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/ez_setup.py
+++ b/ez_setup.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     USER_SITE = None
 
-DEFAULT_VERSION = "17.1.2"
+DEFAULT_VERSION = "18.0"
 DEFAULT_URL = "https://pypi.python.org/packages/source/s/setuptools/"
 DEFAULT_SAVE_DIR = os.curdir
 
diff --git a/setuptools/version.py b/setuptools/version.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/setuptools/version.py
+++ b/setuptools/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = '17.1.2'
+__version__ = '18.0'
Bumped to <I> in preparation for next release.