diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 1ad658d3..3ef53512 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,36 @@
+Changes between v2.9.6 and v2.9.7:
+----------------------------------
+
+Benno Schulenberg (21):
+      bindings: add the 'linenumbers' bindable function
+      bindings: rename constupdate to constantshow, cuttoend to cutfromcursor
+      bump version numbers and add a news item for the 2.9.7 release
+      docs: add notes about deprecated options and function names
+      docs: break down some old improvements further per version
+      docs: note a small difference with Pico in the default hard-wrapping
+      docs: say thanks to three recent translators, and re-sort two others
+      docs: slightly improve the description of the file browser in the manual
+      main: clear a spurious error number, to avoid irrelevant messages later
+      prompt: when asking for Yes/No/All, recognize also UTF-8 letters
+      scrolling: only do a scroll when the edit window has more than one row
+      signals: don't trap segfault/abort when envvar NANO_NOCATCH is defined
+      signals: exclude the crash handler from the tiny version
+      startup: suggest using ^D to finish reading from standard input
+      tweaks: improve a couple of comments
+      tweaks: normalize indentation and whitespace after previous changes
+      tweaks: put check for -h and -l options in their alphabetical positions
+      tweaks: put Yes/No/All in a consistent order (for the translators)
+      tweaks: rename two variables, to be more descriptive
+      tweaks: sort an option better, and reschedule a removal
+      tweaks: use symbolic names instead of puzzling TRUE and FALSE
+
+Devin Hussey (1):
+      signals: upon a crash, save changed buffers and reset terminal state
+
+Mark-Weston (1):
+      new feature: an option to make the 'nextword' function stop at word ends
+
+
 Changes between v2.9.5 and v2.9.6:
 ----------------------------------
 
diff --git a/IMPROVEMENTS b/IMPROVEMENTS
index ad37800e..b7a0e24f 100644
--- a/IMPROVEMENTS
+++ b/IMPROVEMENTS
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ Improvements in GNU nano
 ========================
 
 Since 2.9.0:
+  - Option 'set afterends' for making Ctrl+Right stop at word ends.
+  - A crash handler that saves changed buffers in case of a crash.
   - Addition of the color name "normal", meaning the default color.
   - A key can be bound to a string -- any mix of text and commands.
   - Error messages are shown by default in bright white on red.
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 29dab706..bfa1e071 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+2018.05.15 - GNU nano 2.9.7 "Hvide Sande" adds the option '--afterends'
+             for making Ctrl+Right (the nextword function) stop at word
+             ends instead of beginnings, accepts multibyte letters for
+             the Yes/No/All answers, does emergency saves of changed
+             buffers in the unlikely event that nano crashes, adds the
+             until-now missing bindable function 'linenumbers', and
+             renames the toggles 'constupdate' to 'constantshow' and
+             'cuttoend' to 'cutfromcursor', for consistency with the
+             corresponding options -- adjust your nanorc files soon.
+
 2018.04.27 - GNU nano 2.9.6 "Gomance" fixes a crash in word completion,
              makes --enable-altrcname work again, improves the fluidity
              of scrolling when using the touchpad, tweaks the syntaxes
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 435756ee..ce055821 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
 
-AC_INIT([GNU nano], [2.9.6], [nano-devel@gnu.org], [nano])
+AC_INIT([GNU nano], [2.9.7], [nano-devel@gnu.org], [nano])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/nano.c])
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.14])
diff --git a/doc/faq.html b/doc/faq.html
index ed5b510f..efa2e17e 100644
--- a/doc/faq.html
+++ b/doc/faq.html
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
 <h3><a name="1.3"></a>1.3. Why the name change from TIP?</h3>
 <blockquote><p>On January 10, 2000, TIP was officially renamed to nano because of a namespace conflict with another program called 'tip'. The original 'tip' program &quot;establishes a full duplex terminal connection to a remote host&quot;, and was included with many older Unix systems (and newer ones like Solaris). The conflict was not noticed at first because there is no 'tip' utility included with most GNU/Linux distributions (where nano was developed).</p></blockquote>
 <h3><a name="1.4"></a>1.4. What is the current version of nano?</h3>
-<blockquote><p>The current version of nano <i>should</i> be <b>2.9.6</b>.  Of course, you should always check the <a href="https://nano-editor.org/">nano homepage</a> to see what the latest and greatest version is.</p></blockquote>
+<blockquote><p>The current version of nano <i>should</i> be <b>2.9.7</b>.  Of course, you should always check the <a href="https://nano-editor.org/">nano homepage</a> to see what the latest and greatest version is.</p></blockquote>
 <h3><a name="1.5"></a>1.5. I want to read the man page without having to download the program!</h3>
 <blockquote><p>Jeez, demanding, aren't we? Okay, look <a href="https://nano-editor.org/dist/latest/nano.1.html">here</a>.</p></blockquote>
 <hr width="100%">
diff --git a/doc/nano.1 b/doc/nano.1
index c0c45ee4..c1c14f88 100644
--- a/doc/nano.1
+++ b/doc/nano.1
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 .\"   Documentation License along with this program.  If not, see
 .\"   <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 .\"
-.TH NANO 1 "version 2.9.6" "April 2018"
+.TH NANO 1 "version 2.9.7" "May 2018"
 
 .SH NAME
 nano \- Nano's ANOther editor, an enhanced free Pico clone
diff --git a/doc/nano.texi b/doc/nano.texi
index 06051c07..4114860c 100644
--- a/doc/nano.texi
+++ b/doc/nano.texi
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 
 @smallbook
 @set EDITION 0.5
-@set VERSION 2.9.6
-@set UPDATED April 2018
+@set VERSION 2.9.7
+@set UPDATED May 2018
 
 @dircategory Editors
 @direntry
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 @titlepage
 @title GNU @command{nano}
 @subtitle a small and friendly text editor
-@subtitle version 2.9.6
+@subtitle version 2.9.7
 
 @author Chris Allegretta
 @page
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ e-mail: @email{chrisa@@asty.org}@*
 @node Top
 @top
 
-This manual documents the GNU @command{nano} editor, version 2.9.6.
+This manual documents the GNU @command{nano} editor, version 2.9.7.
 
 @menu
 * Introduction::
diff --git a/doc/nanorc.5 b/doc/nanorc.5
index eba39e76..e4751b09 100644
--- a/doc/nanorc.5
+++ b/doc/nanorc.5
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 .\"   Documentation License along with this program.  If not, see
 .\"   <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 .\"
-.TH NANORC 5 "version 2.9.6" "April 2018"
+.TH NANORC 5 "version 2.9.7" "May 2018"
 
 .SH NAME
 nanorc \- GNU nano's configuration file
diff --git a/doc/rnano.1 b/doc/rnano.1
index 7a09f814..a4c3df8a 100644
--- a/doc/rnano.1
+++ b/doc/rnano.1
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 .\"   Documentation License along with this program.  If not, see
 .\"   <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 .\"
-.TH RNANO 1 "version 2.9.6" "April 2018"
+.TH RNANO 1 "version 2.9.7" "May 2018"
 
 .SH NAME
 rnano \- a restricted nano