diff --git a/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml b/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
index 3bf83764c30..e752d127329 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/reusable-release.yml
@@ -14,9 +14,12 @@ on:
       ghc_targets:
         type: string
         default: "install_bin install_lib update_package_db install_extra"
+      # The bootstrap cabal used to build cabal-install and cabal-testsuite.
+      # It must satisfy the setup-depends of cabal-testsuite, so keep it in
+      # sync with the cabal-version used in validate.yml (see PR #10251).
       cabal:
         type: string
-        default: 3.14.2.0
+        default: 3.18.1.0
       test:
         type: boolean
         default: true