diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changelog for persistent
 
+## 2.10.3
+
+* Added support for GHC 8.8 about MonadFail changes [#976](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/976)
+
 ## 2.10.2
 
 * Added `runMigrationQuiet` and `runMigrationUnsafeQuiet` to `Database.Persist.Sql.Migration` as safer alternatives to `runMigrationSilent`. [#971](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/971)
diff --git a/Database/Persist/Types/Base.hs b/Database/Persist/Types/Base.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/Types/Base.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/Types/Base.hs
@@ -433,10 +433,10 @@
     parseJSON (A.String t0) =
         case T.uncons t0 of
             Nothing -> fail "Null string"
-            Just ('p', t) -> either (fail "Invalid base64") (return . PersistDbSpecific)
+            Just ('p', t) -> either (\_ -> fail "Invalid base64") (return . PersistDbSpecific)
                            $ B64.decode $ TE.encodeUtf8 t
             Just ('s', t) -> return $ PersistText t
-            Just ('b', t) -> either (fail "Invalid base64") (return . PersistByteString)
+            Just ('b', t) -> either (\_ -> fail "Invalid base64") (return . PersistByteString)
                            $ B64.decode $ TE.encodeUtf8 t
             Just ('t', t) -> fmap PersistTimeOfDay $ readMay t
             Just ('u', t) -> fmap PersistUTCTime $ readMay t
@@ -448,7 +448,6 @@
       where
         headMay []    = Nothing
         headMay (x:_) = Just x
-        readMay :: (Read a, Monad m) => T.Text -> m a
         readMay t =
             case reads $ T.unpack t of
                 (x, _):_ -> return x
diff --git a/persistent.cabal b/persistent.cabal
--- a/persistent.cabal
+++ b/persistent.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:            persistent
-version:         2.10.2
+version:         2.10.3
 license:         MIT
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>