diff --git a/GHC/HandleEncoding.hs b/GHC/HandleEncoding.hs
--- a/GHC/HandleEncoding.hs
+++ b/GHC/HandleEncoding.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 -- | See GHC #10762 and #15021.
 module GHC.HandleEncoding (configureHandleEncoding) where
 
+import Prelude -- See note [Why do we import Prelude here?]
 import GHC.IO.Encoding (textEncodingName)
 import System.Environment
 import System.IO
diff --git a/GHC/PackageDb.hs b/GHC/PackageDb.hs
--- a/GHC/PackageDb.hs
+++ b/GHC/PackageDb.hs
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
        writePackageDb
   ) where
 
+import Prelude -- See note [Why do we import Prelude here?]
 import Data.Version (Version(..))
 import qualified Data.ByteString as BS
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as BS.Char8
@@ -259,9 +260,7 @@
 
 lockPackageDb = lockPackageDbWith ExclusiveLock
 unlockPackageDb (PackageDbLock hnd) = do
-#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,11,0)
     hUnlock hnd
-#endif
     hClose hnd
 
 -- | Mode to open a package db in.
diff --git a/GHC/Serialized.hs b/GHC/Serialized.hs
--- a/GHC/Serialized.hs
+++ b/GHC/Serialized.hs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     serializeWithData, deserializeWithData,
   ) where
 
+import Prelude -- See note [Why do we import Prelude here?]
 import Data.Bits
 import Data.Word        ( Word8 )
 import Data.Data
diff --git a/Setup.hs b/Setup.hs
--- a/Setup.hs
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 import Distribution.Simple
+
 main = defaultMain
+
diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,27 +1,3 @@
-## 8.6.1  *August 2018*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.6.1
-
-## 8.4.2  *April 2018*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.4.2
-	
-## 8.4.1  *March 2018*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.4.1
-
-## 8.2.2  *November 2018*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.2.2
-
-## 8.2.1  *July 2017*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.2.1
-
-## 8.0.2  *January 2017*
-
-  * Bundled with GHC 8.0.2
-
 ## 8.0.1  *May 2016*
 
   * Bundled with GHC 8.0.1
diff --git a/ghc-boot.cabal b/ghc-boot.cabal
--- a/ghc-boot.cabal
+++ b/ghc-boot.cabal
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 cabal-version:  1.22
 name:           ghc-boot
-version:        8.6.5
+version:        8.8.1
 
 license:        BSD3
 license-file:   LICENSE
 category:       GHC
 maintainer:     ghc-devs@haskell.org
-bug-reports:    https://ghc.haskell.org/trac/ghc/newticket
+bug-reports:    https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc/issues
 synopsis:       Shared functionality between GHC and its boot libraries
 description:    This library is shared between GHC, @ghc-pkg@, and other boot
                 libraries.
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@
 
 source-repository head
     type:     git
-    location: http://git.haskell.org/ghc.git
+    location: https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc.git
     subdir:   libraries/ghc-boot
 
 Library
     default-language: Haskell2010
     other-extensions: DeriveGeneric, RankNTypes, ScopedTypeVariables
+    default-extensions: NoImplicitPrelude
 
     exposed-modules:
             GHC.LanguageExtensions
@@ -39,9 +40,9 @@
             GHC.ForeignSrcLang
             GHC.HandleEncoding
 
-    build-depends: base       >= 4.10 && < 4.13,
+    build-depends: base       >= 4.11 && < 4.14,
                    binary     == 0.8.*,
                    bytestring == 0.10.*,
                    directory  >= 1.2 && < 1.4,
                    filepath   >= 1.3 && < 1.5,
-                   ghc-boot-th == 8.6.5
+                   ghc-boot-th == 8.8.1