diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0ab4a8b..08ba31e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Salvium Zero v0.7.2
+# Salvium Zero v0.8.0-rc1
 
 Copyright (c) 2023-2024, Salvium
 Portions Copyright (c) 2014-2023, The Monero Project
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ invokes cmake commands as needed.
 
     ```bash
     cd salvium
-    git checkout v0.7.0
+    git checkout v0.8.0
     make
     ```
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ Tested on a Raspberry Pi Zero with a clean install of minimal Raspbian Stretch (
     ```bash
     git clone https://github.com/salvium/salvium
     cd salvium
-    git checkout v0.7.0
+    git checkout v0.8.0
     ```
 
 * Build:
@@ -370,10 +370,10 @@ application.
     cd salvium
     ```
 
-* If you would like a specific [version/tag](https://github.com/salvium/salvium/tags), do a git checkout for that version. eg. 'v0.7.0'. If you don't care about the version and just want binaries from master, skip this step:
+* If you would like a specific [version/tag](https://github.com/salvium/salvium/tags), do a git checkout for that version. eg. 'v0.8.0'. If you don't care about the version and just want binaries from master, skip this step:
 
     ```bash
-    git checkout v0.7.0
+    git checkout v0.8.0
     ```
 
 * If you are on a 64-bit system, run:
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_config.h b/src/cryptonote_config.h
index e6744d4..d18fd54 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_config.h
+++ b/src/cryptonote_config.h
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@
 
 #define HF_VERSION_ENFORCE_FULL_PROOFS          4
 
+#define HF_VERSION_SHUTDOWN_USER_TXS            6
+
 #define HF_VERSION_REQUIRE_VIEW_TAGS            255
 #define HF_VERSION_ENABLE_CONVERT               255
 #define HF_VERSION_ENABLE_ORACLE                255
diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
index a9d3be1..964644d 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/blockchain.cpp
@@ -3656,6 +3656,15 @@ bool Blockchain::check_tx_type_and_version(const transaction& tx, tx_verificatio
 
   const uint8_t hf_version = m_hardfork->get_current_version();
 
+  // Reject ALL TXs except miner + protocol for v5
+  if (hf_version == HF_VERSION_SHUTDOWN_USER_TXS) {
+    if (tx.type != cryptonote::transaction_type::MINER && tx.type != cryptonote::transaction_type::PROTOCOL) {
+      MERROR_VER("User TXs are not permitted for v" + std::to_string(HF_VERSION_SHUTDOWN_USER_TXS));
+      tvc.m_version_mismatch = true;
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+  
   // Prior to v2, only allow TX v2
   if (hf_version < HF_VERSION_ENABLE_N_OUTS) {
 
@@ -4774,6 +4783,17 @@ leave:
   }
 
   TIME_MEASURE_FINISH(t2);
+  TIME_MEASURE_START(t2point5);
+
+  // make sure that block is allowed TXs (prevented during pre-audit period)
+  if (hf_version == HF_VERSION_SHUTDOWN_USER_TXS && bl.tx_hashes.size())
+  {
+    MERROR_VER("Block with id: " << id << std::endl << "contains " << bl.tx_hashes.size() << " illicit user transactions");
+    bvc.m_verifivation_failed = true;
+    goto leave;
+  }
+
+  TIME_MEASURE_FINISH(t2point5);
   //check proof of work
   TIME_MEASURE_START(target_calculating_time);
 
diff --git a/src/hardforks/hardforks.cpp b/src/hardforks/hardforks.cpp
index bddf7bf..041e9dd 100644
--- a/src/hardforks/hardforks.cpp
+++ b/src/hardforks/hardforks.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ const hardfork_t mainnet_hard_forks[] = {
 
   // version 4 starts from block 121100, which is on or around the 20th of December, 2024. Fork time finalised on 2024-12-19. No fork voting occurs for the v4 fork.
   { 4, 121800, 0, 1734607000 },
+
+  // version 5 starts from block 135500, which is on or around the 8th of January, 2025. Fork time finalised on 2025-01-07. No fork voting occurs for the v5 fork.
+  //{ 5, 135500, 0, 1736265945 },
 };
 const size_t num_mainnet_hard_forks = sizeof(mainnet_hard_forks) / sizeof(mainnet_hard_forks[0]);
 const uint64_t mainnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = ((uint64_t)-1);
@@ -56,6 +59,12 @@ const hardfork_t testnet_hard_forks[] = {
 
   // version 3 starts from block 500
   { 3, 500, 0, 1729518000 },
+
+  // version 4 starts from block 600
+  { 4, 600, 0, 173626500 },
+
+  // version 5 starts from block 700
+  { 5, 700, 0, 1736265945 },
 };
 const size_t num_testnet_hard_forks = sizeof(testnet_hard_forks) / sizeof(testnet_hard_forks[0]);
 const uint64_t testnet_hard_fork_version_1_till = ((uint64_t)-1);
diff --git a/src/version.cpp.in b/src/version.cpp.in
index 168c8a2..1f90737 100644
--- a/src/version.cpp.in
+++ b/src/version.cpp.in
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #define DEF_SALVIUM_VERSION_TAG "@VERSIONTAG@"
-#define DEF_SALVIUM_VERSION "0.7.2"
+#define DEF_SALVIUM_VERSION "0.8.0-rc1"
 #define DEF_MONERO_VERSION_TAG "release"
 #define DEF_MONERO_VERSION "0.18.3.3"
 #define DEF_MONERO_RELEASE_NAME "Zero"