diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 86b59950af..558f8b0149 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ endif
 STORED_VERSION_FILE := VERSION
 HUGO_VERSION ?= 0.111.3
 
-GITEA_COMPATIBILITY ?= gitea-1.22.0
+GITEA_COMPATIBILITY ?= gitea-1.21.11
 
 STORED_VERSION=$(shell cat $(STORED_VERSION_FILE) 2>/dev/null)
 ifneq ($(STORED_VERSION),)
diff --git a/release-notes/7.0.3/3857.md b/release-notes/7.0.3/3857.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..85ea5346c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/7.0.3/3857.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- [PR](https://codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo/pulls/3857): Gitea v1.22 is [not published yet](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/issues/30731) as of 21 May 2024 and in reality Forgejo v7.0.3 is compatible with Gitea v1.21.11. The Gitea v1.22 release was anticipated to happen shortly after [Forgejo v7.0 was published on 23 April 2024](https://forgejo.org/2024-04-release-v7-0/) because it was already in the late stages of its release candidate lifecycle. However, around 27 April, [the Gitea release candidates were dropped](https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/issues/30731) and the release candidates restarted from the Gitea development branch.