diff --git a/bench/monorepo/bench.Dockerfile b/bench/monorepo/bench.Dockerfile
index 6b12eca1395..7ff92efb546 100644
--- a/bench/monorepo/bench.Dockerfile
+++ b/bench/monorepo/bench.Dockerfile
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ RUN wget https://github.com/ocaml-dune/ocaml-monorepo-benchmark/archive/refs/tag
 RUN opam init --disable-sandboxing --auto-setup
 
 # make an opam switch for running benchmarks
+RUN echo "Cache busting to update the opam cache which serves no additional purpose besides this"
 RUN opam update && opam switch create bench 4.14.2
 RUN opam install -y dune ocamlbuild
 
diff --git a/chrome-trace.opam b/chrome-trace.opam
index c0198664633..595f785e00f 100644
--- a/chrome-trace.opam
+++ b/chrome-trace.opam
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-action-plugin.opam b/dune-action-plugin.opam
index 82c21d156f6..a2412c991ce 100644
--- a/dune-action-plugin.opam
+++ b/dune-action-plugin.opam
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "dune-glob" {= version}
   "csexp" {>= "1.5.0"}
   "ppx_expect" {with-test}
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-build-info.opam b/dune-build-info.opam
index 5a5c55b2b44..a2fed6c20e4 100644
--- a/dune-build-info.opam
+++ b/dune-build-info.opam
@@ -16,11 +16,12 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-configurator.opam b/dune-configurator.opam
index 2084ca8bfc4..de8ee0180d4 100644
--- a/dune-configurator.opam
+++ b/dune-configurator.opam
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "base-unix"
   "csexp" {>= "1.5.0"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-glob.opam b/dune-glob.opam
index 4aaaa515c19..24719a1b9c7 100644
--- a/dune-glob.opam
+++ b/dune-glob.opam
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "stdune" {= version}
   "dyn"
   "ordering"
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-private-libs.opam b/dune-private-libs.opam
index 3c49bedf34a..620ecee1cd0 100644
--- a/dune-private-libs.opam
+++ b/dune-private-libs.opam
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "csexp" {>= "1.5.0"}
   "pp" {>= "1.1.0"}
   "dyn" {= version}
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-project b/dune-project
index 8687eee7d81..07fee453f92 100644
--- a/dune-project
+++ b/dune-project
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-(lang dune 3.12)
+(lang dune 3.18)
 ;          ^^^^
 ; When changing the version, don't forget to regenerate *.opam files
 ; by running [dune build].
diff --git a/dune-rpc-lwt.opam b/dune-rpc-lwt.opam
index 014f9d0a17a..c0563160dd7 100644
--- a/dune-rpc-lwt.opam
+++ b/dune-rpc-lwt.opam
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "dune-rpc" {= version}
   "csexp" {>= "1.5.0"}
   "lwt" {>= "5.6.0"}
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-rpc.opam b/dune-rpc.opam
index 9382a7d5b0a..f7adb010f15 100644
--- a/dune-rpc.opam
+++ b/dune-rpc.opam
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "csexp"
   "ordering"
   "dyn"
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune-site.opam b/dune-site.opam
index 0674ccd2009..7dd1e787900 100644
--- a/dune-site.opam
+++ b/dune-site.opam
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "dune-private-libs" {= version}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/dune.opam b/dune.opam
index 0e92b97ed37..db98130e2ce 100644
--- a/dune.opam
+++ b/dune.opam
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ conflicts: [
   "jbuilder" {= "transition"}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["ocaml" "boot/bootstrap.ml" "-j" jobs]
   ["./_boot/dune.exe" "build" "dune.install" "--release" "--profile" "dune-bootstrap" "-j" jobs]
diff --git a/dyn.opam b/dyn.opam
index d031b2eec9a..b2034d6db85 100644
--- a/dyn.opam
+++ b/dyn.opam
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "ordering" {= version}
   "pp" {>= "1.1.0"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/ocamlc-loc.opam b/ocamlc-loc.opam
index a9a160f6533..b580995a7a2 100644
--- a/ocamlc-loc.opam
+++ b/ocamlc-loc.opam
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "dyn" {= version}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ conflicts: [
   "ocaml-lsp-server" {< "1.15.0"}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/ordering.opam b/ordering.opam
index 4f3ad97e3af..8024718b23b 100644
--- a/ordering.opam
+++ b/ordering.opam
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/stdune.opam b/stdune.opam
index e455fafbcb8..bf055a0b31f 100644
--- a/stdune.opam
+++ b/stdune.opam
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08.0"}
   "base-unix"
   "dyn" {= version}
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ depends: [
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]
diff --git a/xdg.opam b/xdg.opam
index 9caad78454d..f11c160b0ec 100644
--- a/xdg.opam
+++ b/xdg.opam
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ homepage: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune"
 doc: "https://dune.readthedocs.io/"
 bug-reports: "https://github.com/ocaml/dune/issues"
 depends: [
-  "dune" {>= "3.12"}
+  "dune" {>= "3.18"}
   "ocaml" {>= "4.08"}
   "odoc" {with-doc}
 ]
 dev-repo: "git+https://github.com/ocaml/dune.git"
+x-maintenance-intent: ["(latest)"]
 build: [
   ["dune" "subst"] {dev}
   ["rm" "-rf" "vendor/csexp"]