diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 925eb6ff..6c6c21c7 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+31/8/19 started 8.8.3
+- revert sharpen restoring the input colourspace
+
 9/7/19 started 8.8.2
 - better early shutdown in readers
 - don't attempt to save large XMP to jpeg [tnextday]
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8f636916..19e87735 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # also update the version number in the m4 macros below
 
-AC_INIT([vips], [8.8.2], [vipsip@jiscmail.ac.uk])
+AC_INIT([vips], [8.8.3], [vipsip@jiscmail.ac.uk])
 # required for gobject-introspection
 AC_PREREQ(2.62)
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 # user-visible library versioning
 m4_define([vips_major_version], [8])
 m4_define([vips_minor_version], [8])
-m4_define([vips_micro_version], [2])
+m4_define([vips_micro_version], [3])
 m4_define([vips_version],
           [vips_major_version.vips_minor_version.vips_micro_version])
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ VIPS_VERSION_STRING=$VIPS_VERSION-`date -u -r ChangeLog`
 #   binary interface changes not backwards compatible?: reset age to 0
 
 LIBRARY_CURRENT=53
-LIBRARY_REVISION=1
+LIBRARY_REVISION=2
 LIBRARY_AGE=11
 
 # patched into include/vips/version.h
diff --git a/libvips/convolution/sharpen.c b/libvips/convolution/sharpen.c
index 38df2e48..214d52ee 100644
--- a/libvips/convolution/sharpen.c
+++ b/libvips/convolution/sharpen.c
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
  * 	- move to defaults suitable for screen output
  * 28/8/19
  * 	- fix sigma 0.5 case (thanks 2h4dl)
- * 	- restore input colourspace
  */
 
 /*
@@ -178,7 +177,6 @@ vips_sharpen_build( VipsObject *object )
 
 	VipsImage *in;
 	int i;
-	VipsInterpretation old_interpretation;
 
 	VIPS_GATE_START( "vips_sharpen_build: build" ); 
 
@@ -194,7 +192,6 @@ vips_sharpen_build( VipsObject *object )
 
 	in = sharpen->in; 
 
-	old_interpretation = in->Type;
 	if( vips_colourspace( in, &t[0], VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LABS, NULL ) )
 		return( -1 );
 	in = t[0];
@@ -274,9 +271,6 @@ vips_sharpen_build( VipsObject *object )
 			NULL ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
-	/* Set demand hints. FATSTRIP is good for us, as THINSTRIP will cause
-	 * too many recalculations on overlaps.
-	 */
 	t[5] = vips_image_new();
 	if( vips_image_pipeline_array( t[5], 
 		VIPS_DEMAND_STYLE_FATSTRIP, args ) )
@@ -289,11 +283,10 @@ vips_sharpen_build( VipsObject *object )
 
 	g_object_set( object, "out", vips_image_new(), NULL ); 
 
-	/* Reattach the rest, back to the start colourspace.
+	/* Reattach the rest.
 	 */
 	if( vips_bandjoin2( t[5], t[3], &t[6], NULL ) ||
-		vips_colourspace( t[6], &t[7], old_interpretation, NULL ) ||
-		vips_image_write( t[7], sharpen->out ) )
+		vips_image_write( t[6], sharpen->out ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	VIPS_GATE_STOP( "vips_sharpen_build: build" );