diff --git a/pkg/compiler/lib/src/util/link_implementation.dart b/pkg/compiler/lib/src/util/link_implementation.dart
index ac06c17..186bfff 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/lib/src/util/link_implementation.dart
+++ b/pkg/compiler/lib/src/util/link_implementation.dart
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
   Link<T> tail;
 
   LinkEntry(T this.head, [Link<T> tail])
-      : this.tail = ((tail == null) ? new Link<T>() : tail);
+      : this.tail = ((tail == null) ? const Link() : tail);
 
   Link<T> prepend(T element) {
     // TODO(ahe): Use new Link<T>, but this cost 8% performance on VM.
diff --git a/tools/VERSION b/tools/VERSION
index 868ff3c..64279a9 100644
--- a/tools/VERSION
+++ b/tools/VERSION
@@ -28,4 +28,4 @@
 MINOR 17
 PATCH 0
 PRERELEASE 6
-PRERELEASE_PATCH 3
+PRERELEASE_PATCH 4