diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9835b00458..325f796a3e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ archives are published at https://geth.ethereum.org/downloads/.
 
 For prerequisites and detailed build instructions please read the [Installation Instructions](https://geth.ethereum.org/docs/getting-started/installing-geth).
 
-Building `geth` requires both a Go (version 1.18 or later) and a C compiler. You can install
+Building `geth` requires both a Go (version 1.19 or later) and a C compiler. You can install
 them using your favourite package manager. Once the dependencies are installed, run
 
 ```shell
diff --git a/event/feedof.go b/event/feedof.go
index 598038a19e..4a24e37f12 100644
--- a/event/feedof.go
+++ b/event/feedof.go
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 // along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-//go:build go1.18
-// +build go1.18
-
 package event
 
 import (
diff --git a/event/feedof_test.go b/event/feedof_test.go
index 8478eeffb1..846afc9ee1 100644
--- a/event/feedof_test.go
+++ b/event/feedof_test.go
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 // along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-//go:build go1.18
-// +build go1.18
-
 package event
 
 import (
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d917dad211..1be13e163e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum
 
-go 1.18
+go 1.19
 
 require (
 	github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/storage/azblob v0.3.0
diff --git a/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go b/internal/version/vcs.go
similarity index 97%
rename from internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go
rename to internal/version/vcs.go
index 53cd41fb30..21de8946e8 100644
--- a/internal/version/vcs_go1.18.go
+++ b/internal/version/vcs.go
@@ -14,9 +14,6 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 // along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-//go:build go1.18
-// +build go1.18
-
 package version
 
 import (
diff --git a/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go b/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go
deleted file mode 100644
index f792c68cdb..0000000000
--- a/internal/version/vcs_fallback.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2022 The go-ethereum Authors
-// This file is part of the go-ethereum library.
-//
-// The go-ethereum library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
-// it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
-// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
-// (at your option) any later version.
-//
-// The go-ethereum library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
-// GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
-//
-// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
-// along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-
-//go:build !go1.18
-// +build !go1.18
-
-package version
-
-import "runtime/debug"
-
-// In Go versions before 1.18, VCS information is not available.
-
-func buildInfoVCS(info *debug.BuildInfo) (VCSInfo, bool) {
-	return VCSInfo{}, false
-}