diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 63fdaa71..a6736c4c 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ The notmuch binaries and libraries are now build with debugging symbols
 by default.  Users concerned with disk space should change the
 defaults when configuring or use the strip(1) command.
 
+Notmuch 0.18.2 (2014-10-25)
+===========================
+
+Test Suite
+----------
+
+Portability and bug fixes for test suite to improve compatibility with Emacs 24.4, gdb 7.8, and the ppc64el architecture.
+
 Notmuch 0.18.1 (2014-06-25)
 ===========================
 
diff --git a/bindings/python/notmuch/version.py b/bindings/python/notmuch/version.py
index 40f3e889..5e4f9b77 100644
--- a/bindings/python/notmuch/version.py
+++ b/bindings/python/notmuch/version.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 # this file should be kept in sync with ../../../version
-__VERSION__ = '0.18.1'
+__VERSION__ = '0.18.2~rc1'
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 7f58b9f6..4f9dd8f2 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ notmuch (0.19-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
  -- David Bremner <bremner@debian.org>  Tue, 16 Sep 2014 21:02:17 +0200
 
+notmuch (0.18.2~rc1-1) experimental; urgency=medium
+
+  * Test suite bug and portability fix release.
+
+ -- David Bremner <bremner@debian.org>  Sat, 25 Oct 2014 10:48:16 +0200
+
 notmuch (0.18.1-2) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   * Update build-deps to use emacs24 on buildd (Closes: #756085)
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 6298deb2..5e4947d7 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Build-Depends:
  libz-dev,
  python-all (>= 2.6.6-3~),
  python3-all (>= 3.1.2-7~),
+ dh-python,
  python-sphinx (>= 1.0),
  ruby, ruby-dev (>>1:1.9.3~),
  emacs24-nox | emacs24 (>=24~) | emacs24-lucid (>=24~) |
diff --git a/test/T310-emacs.sh b/test/T310-emacs.sh
index c3024021..d72799b4 100755
--- a/test/T310-emacs.sh
+++ b/test/T310-emacs.sh
@@ -877,7 +877,8 @@ exit 1
 EOF
 chmod a+x notmuch_fail
 test_emacs "(let ((notmuch-command \"$PWD/notmuch_fail\"))
-	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\" (erase-buffer))
+	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\"
+                 (let ((inhibit-read-only t)) (erase-buffer)))
 	       (with-current-buffer (get-buffer-create \"*Notmuch errors*\")
                  (erase-buffer))
 	       (notmuch-search \"tag:inbox\")
@@ -909,7 +910,8 @@ exit 0
 EOF
 chmod a+x notmuch_fail
 test_emacs "(let ((notmuch-command \"$PWD/notmuch_fail\"))
-	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\" (erase-buffer))
+	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\"
+                 (let ((inhibit-read-only t)) (erase-buffer)))
 	       (with-current-buffer (get-buffer-create \"*Notmuch errors*\")
                  (erase-buffer))
 	       (notmuch-search \"tag:inbox\")
diff --git a/test/T450-emacs-show.sh b/test/T450-emacs-show.sh
index 2a3a5356..bfcd5efe 100755
--- a/test/T450-emacs-show.sh
+++ b/test/T450-emacs-show.sh
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ exit 1
 EOF
 chmod a+x notmuch_fail
 test_emacs "(let ((notmuch-command \"$PWD/notmuch_fail\"))
-	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\" (erase-buffer))
+	       (with-current-buffer \"*Messages*\"
+                  (let ((inhibit-read-only t)) (erase-buffer)))
 	       (condition-case err
 		   (notmuch-show \"*\")
 		 (error (message \"%s\" (second err))))
diff --git a/test/test-lib.sh b/test/test-lib.sh
index b9b8fe8c..53db9caa 100644
--- a/test/test-lib.sh
+++ b/test/test-lib.sh
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@ notmuch_json_show_sanitize ()
     sed \
 	-e 's|"id": "[^"]*",|"id": "XXXXX",|g' \
 	-e 's|"Date": "Fri, 05 Jan 2001 [^"]*0000"|"Date": "GENERATED_DATE"|g' \
+	-e 's|"filename": "signature.asc",||g' \
 	-e 's|"filename": "/[^"]*",|"filename": "YYYYY",|g' \
 	-e 's|"timestamp": 97.......|"timestamp": 42|g'
 }
diff --git a/version b/version
index 249afd51..34a761f3 100644
--- a/version
+++ b/version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.18.1
+0.18.2~rc1