diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index de316f1c6..ed9f3a124 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from thirdparty import six
 from thirdparty.six import unichr as _unichr
 
 # sqlmap version (<major>.<minor>.<month>.<monthly commit>)
-VERSION = "1.6.5.3"
+VERSION = "1.6.5.4"
 TYPE = "dev" if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] != '0' else "stable"
 TYPE_COLORS = {"dev": 33, "stable": 90, "pip": 34}
 VERSION_STRING = "sqlmap/%s#%s" % ('.'.join(VERSION.split('.')[:-1]) if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] == '0' else VERSION, TYPE)
diff --git a/sqlmap.py b/sqlmap.py
index d3c0a802e..2509251e9 100755
--- a/sqlmap.py
+++ b/sqlmap.py
@@ -369,6 +369,12 @@ def main():
             logger.critical(errMsg)
             raise SystemExit
 
+        elif "AttributeError: unable to access item" in excMsg and re.search(r"3\.11\.\d+a", sys.version):
+            errMsg = "there is a known issue when sqlmap is run with ALPHA versions of Python 3.11. "
+            errMsg += "Please downgrade to some stable Python version"
+            logger.critical(errMsg)
+            raise SystemExit
+
         elif all(_ in excMsg for _ in ("Resource temporarily unavailable", "os.fork()", "dictionaryAttack")):
             errMsg = "there has been a problem while running the multiprocessing hash cracking. "
             errMsg += "Please rerun with option '--threads=1'"