diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index a1039e5..4a3fa8a 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 # gitea version
 # Use 'latest' to auto-update; upgrading past role version may lead to errors.
-gitea_version: '1.15.1'
+gitea_version: '1.15.3'
 gitea_version_check: true
 gitea_gpg_key: '7C9E68152594688862D62AF62D9AE806EC1592E2'
 gitea_gpg_server: 'hkps://keys.openpgp.org'
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index a4441b8..0eb2cdf 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -56,5 +56,5 @@ transfer_custom_footer:
     - 'files/gitea_footer/extra_links_footer.tmpl'
     - 'files/extra_links_footer.tmpl'
 
-playbook_version_number: 26  # should be int
+playbook_version_number: 27  # should be int
 playbook_version_path: 'do1jlr.gitea.version'