diff --git a/.ci/.bump-go-release-version.yml b/.ci/.bump-go-release-version.yml
index 62f840852..f0cb5ecc4 100644
--- a/.ci/.bump-go-release-version.yml
+++ b/.ci/.bump-go-release-version.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ projects:
     script: .ci/bump-go-release-version.sh
     branches:
       - main
+    overrideGoVersion: "1.18"
     enabled: true
     labels: dependency
     reviewer: elastic/observablt-ci
diff --git a/vars/goDefaultVersion.groovy b/vars/goDefaultVersion.groovy
index 721fb2a98..b5341c1ef 100644
--- a/vars/goDefaultVersion.groovy
+++ b/vars/goDefaultVersion.groovy
@@ -38,5 +38,5 @@ def isGoVersionEnvVarSet(){
 }
 
 def defaultVersion(){
-  return '1.19.1'
+  return '1.18.5'
 }