diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ffbadad0..c013c5cb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+## 1.8.1
+
+### Changes
+
+* Fix polkit parse error (#449)
+
+### Contributors
+
+* @Vam-Jam
+
+[View the full list of contributors](https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode/graphs/contributors?from=2022-07-22&to=2023-12-12&type=c)
+
 ## 1.8
 
 ### Changes
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9402a974..538f11f4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -131,12 +131,12 @@ ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="**" emerge --ask ~games-util/gamemode-9999
 ```
 
 ### Build and Install GameMode
-Then clone, build and install a release version of GameMode at 1.8:
+Then clone, build and install a release version of GameMode at 1.8.1:
 
 ```bash
 git clone https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode.git
 cd gamemode
-git checkout 1.8 # omit to build the master branch
+git checkout 1.8.1 # omit to build the master branch
 ./bootstrap.sh
 ```
 To test GameMode installed and will run correctly:
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 28815383..47c5e465 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ project(
     'gamemode',
     'c',
     default_options : ['c_std=c11', 'warning_level=3'],
-    version: '1.8',
+    version: '1.8.1',
     license: 'BSD',
 )