diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate.yml b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
index dccdfedc14f..9c0270e82e1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate.yml
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ on:
 env:
   # We choose a stable ghc version across all os's
   # which will be used to do the next release
-  GHC_FOR_RELEASE: '9.2.7'
+  GHC_FOR_RELEASE: '9.2.8'
   # Ideally we should use the version about to be released for hackage tests and benchmarks
-  GHC_FOR_SOLVER_BENCHMARKS: '9.2.7'
-  GHC_FOR_COMPLETE_HACKAGE_TESTS: '9.2.7'
+  GHC_FOR_SOLVER_BENCHMARKS: '9.2.8'
+  GHC_FOR_COMPLETE_HACKAGE_TESTS: '9.2.8'
   COMMON_FLAGS: '-j 2 -v'
 
 jobs:
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         os: ["ubuntu-latest", "macos-latest", "windows-latest"]
-        ghc: ["9.6.1", "9.4.4", "9.2.7", "9.0.2", "8.10.7", "8.8.4", "8.6.5", "8.4.4"]
+        ghc: ["9.8.1", "9.6.3", "9.4.7", "9.2.8", "9.0.2", "8.10.7", "8.8.4", "8.6.5", "8.4.4"]
         exclude:
           # corrupts GHA cache or the fabric of reality itself, see https://github.com/haskell/cabal/issues/8356
           - os: "windows-latest"
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ jobs:
 
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
+      - uses: haskell-actions/setup@v2
+        id: setup-haskell
+        with:
+          ghc-version: ${{ matrix.ghc }}
+          cabal-version: '3.10.1.0'
+
       #  See the following link for a breakdown of the following step
       #  https://github.com/haskell/actions/issues/7#issuecomment-745697160
       - uses: actions/cache@v3
@@ -68,12 +74,6 @@ jobs:
           key: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.ghc }}-${{ github.sha }}
           restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-${{ matrix.ghc }}-
 
-      - uses: haskell/actions/setup@v2
-        id: setup-haskell
-        with:
-          ghc-version: ${{ matrix.ghc }}
-          cabal-version: '3.10.1.0'
-
       - name: Work around git problem https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/git/+bug/1993586 (cabal PR #8546)
         run: |
           git config --global protocol.file.allow always