diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 1a03261722..b229bc748f 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ android {
         applicationId = "de.westnordost.streetcomplete.expert"
         minSdk = 21
         targetSdk = 33
-        versionCode = 5402
-        versionName = "54.1"
+        versionCode = 5403
+        versionName = "54.11"
         testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
     }
 
diff --git a/app/proguard-rules.pro b/app/proguard-rules.pro
index 1fd6d430d8..42fe19bd26 100644
--- a/app/proguard-rules.pro
+++ b/app/proguard-rules.pro
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 # crashes when selecting some quests from tag editor
 -keep class androidx.core.app.CoreComponentFactory { *; }
 
+# crashes on start after upgrading to gradle 8 (release version only for some reason, though same rules are used)
+-keepclassmembers public class io.requery.android.database.sqlite.SQLiteConnection { *; }
+
 # kotlinx-serialization start ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 -keepattributes *Annotation*, InnerClasses