diff --git a/.github/workflows/packdiff.yml b/.github/workflows/packdiff.yml
index 058448555d..b83385301d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/packdiff.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/packdiff.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ jobs:
         GHCVER=9.8.1
         ./ghcup install ghc $GHCVER
         ./ghcup set ghc $GHCVER
+        # cabal-3.18 requires a packages field in cabal.project.packdiff
+        CABALVER=3.16.1.0
+        ./ghcup install cabal $CABALVER
+        ./ghcup set cabal $CABALVER
+        cabal --version
         cabal update
 
     - uses: actions/cache@v4
diff --git a/streamly.cabal b/streamly.cabal
index 3baeca2a2e..f03f1634e1 100644
--- a/streamly.cabal
+++ b/streamly.cabal
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ library
                     -- concurrency
                      , lockfree-queue    >= 0.2.4 && < 0.3
 
-                     , unicode-data      >= 0.1 && < 0.9
+                     , unicode-data      >= 0.1 && < 0.10
 
                     -- Network
                     -- network version 3.2.8 is broken on windows