diff --git a/templates/boilerplate/embark.json b/templates/boilerplate/embark.json
index 0a5bfef57..40c103a53 100644
--- a/templates/boilerplate/embark.json
+++ b/templates/boilerplate/embark.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   "config": "config/",
   "versions": {
     "web3": "1.0.0-beta",
-    "solc": "0.4.17",
+    "solc": "0.4.23",
     "ipfs-api": "17.2.4"
   },
   "plugins": {}
diff --git a/templates/demo/embark.json b/templates/demo/embark.json
index 909673725..7bd3d48a7 100644
--- a/templates/demo/embark.json
+++ b/templates/demo/embark.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   "config": "config/",
   "versions": {
     "web3": "1.0.0-beta",
-    "solc": "0.4.17",
+    "solc": "0.4.23",
     "ipfs-api": "17.2.4"
   },
   "plugins": {
diff --git a/templates/simple/embark.json b/templates/simple/embark.json
index dafbbdb23..35edb5397 100644
--- a/templates/simple/embark.json
+++ b/templates/simple/embark.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     "webserver": false
   },
   "versions": {
-    "solc": "0.4.17"
+    "solc": "0.4.23"
   },
   "plugins": {}
 }