diff --git a/openpower/configs/witherspoon_defconfig b/openpower/configs/witherspoon_defconfig
index d9a5a68..437d90b 100644
--- a/openpower/configs/witherspoon_defconfig
+++ b/openpower/configs/witherspoon_defconfig
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 BR2_ROOTFS_POST_BUILD_SCRIPT="../openpower/scripts/fixup-target-var ../openpower/scripts/firmware-whitelist"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
-BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="4.9.6"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="4.9.8"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG=y
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE="$(BR2_EXTERNAL_OP_BUILD_PATH)/configs/linux/skiroot_defconfig"
 BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_ZIMAGE_EPAPR=y