diff --git a/README b/README
index 12da7d2..3287cc7 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ This does not imply the goal is to be what you want.
 ## build
 
 It should be sufficient to type make after unpacking a release.
-You'll need a go compiler version 1.16 or later. And libsqlite3.
+You'll need a go compiler version 1.18 or later. And libsqlite3.
 
 Even on a fast machine, building from source can take several seconds.
 
diff --git a/docs/honk.8 b/docs/honk.8
index 966a939..861c86a 100644
--- a/docs/honk.8
+++ b/docs/honk.8
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
 .Ss Build
 Building
 .Nm
-requires a go compiler 1.16 and libsqlite.
+requires a go compiler 1.18 and libsqlite.
 On
 .Ox
 this is the go and sqlite3 packages.
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index a19ad41..58f97d6 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module humungus.tedunangst.com/r/honk
 
-go 1.16
+go 1.18
 
 require (
 	github.com/andybalholm/cascadia v1.3.1
@@ -11,3 +11,8 @@ require (
 	humungus.tedunangst.com/r/go-sqlite3 v1.1.3
 	humungus.tedunangst.com/r/webs v0.6.68
 )
+
+require (
+	github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.2.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/image v0.0.0-20220413100746-70e8d0d3baa9 // indirect
+)
diff --git a/preflight.sh b/preflight.sh
index 5ebc0ab..7aeb972 100644
--- a/preflight.sh
+++ b/preflight.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 set -e
 
-go version > /dev/null 2>&1 || (echo go 1.16+ is required && false)
+go version > /dev/null 2>&1 || (echo go 1.18+ is required && false)
 
 v=`go version | egrep -o "go1\.[^.]+"` || echo failed to identify go version
-if [ "$v" \< "go1.16" ] ; then
+if [ "$v" \< "go1.18" ] ; then
 	echo go version is too old: $v
-	echo go 1.16+ is required
+	echo go 1.18+ is required
 	false
 fi