diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index f04284345c92bd3cba45f63a47c47e43a946ada1..9594a472744de3fdbfae6b50c5175bb3a0a4e03c 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ android {
     defaultConfig {
         minSdkVersion 23
         targetSdkVersion 34
-        versionCode 42098
+        versionCode 42099
         versionName "2.14.0-beta.2"
         archivesBaseName += "-$versionName"
         applicationId "eu.siacs.conversations"
diff --git a/src/playstore/AndroidManifest.xml b/src/playstore/AndroidManifest.xml
index 07ac0123486062b91707bb50a29a83b5980b7c49..2f339c96f09dfa0a2180294b99c331d2f4b59da8 100644
--- a/src/playstore/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/src/playstore/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 
     <!-- Remove this line if Google Play Store is giving you a hard time -->
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS"/>
+    <!-- <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS"/> -->
 
     <application android:icon="@mipmap/new_launcher">