diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 38bc26b..b15bdd4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ cat and EOF in the Digital Ocean Web UI (or HTTP API):
 #cloud-config
 
 runcmd:
-  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-18.03 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
+  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-18.09 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
 ```
 Potential tweaks:
 - `/etc/nixos/{,hardware-}configuration.nix`: rudimentary mostly static config
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ write_files:
       environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ vim ];
     }
 runcmd:
-  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIXOS_IMPORT=./host.nix NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-18.03 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
+  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIXOS_IMPORT=./host.nix NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-18.09 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
 
 ```
 
diff --git a/nixos-infect b/nixos-infect
index 1bcf646..ef282f6 100755
--- a/nixos-infect
+++ b/nixos-infect
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ infect() {
   # shellcheck disable=SC1090
   source ~/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh
 
-  [[ -z "$NIX_CHANNEL" ]] && NIX_CHANNEL="nixos-18.03"
+  [[ -z "$NIX_CHANNEL" ]] && NIX_CHANNEL="nixos-18.09"
   nix-channel --remove nixpkgs
   nix-channel --add "https://nixos.org/channels/$NIX_CHANNEL" nixos
   nix-channel --update