diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 8880e20..d3cc3a6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ jobs:
             arch: arm64
         java: [11]
         distribution: [temurin]
-        pdal: [2.6.3]
+        pdal: [2.7.0]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     defaults:
       run:
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ jobs:
         os: [ubuntu-latest]
         java: [8]
         distribution: [temurin]
-        pdal: [2.6.3]
+        pdal: [2.7.0]
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     if: github.event_name != 'pull_request'
     needs: [build]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 97100de..a6d7cc8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ String json =
       }
   """;
 
-var pipeline = new Pipeline(json, LogLevel.Error());
+var pipeline = new Pipeline(json, LogLevel.Debug5()); // initialize and make it really noisy
 
 pipeline.execute(); // execute the pipeline
 
diff --git a/examples/pdal-jni/build.sbt b/examples/pdal-jni/build.sbt
index 4d79d68..533fc5e 100644
--- a/examples/pdal-jni/build.sbt
+++ b/examples/pdal-jni/build.sbt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ resolvers ++= Resolver.sonatypeOssRepos("releases") ++ Resolver.sonatypeOssRepos
 
 fork := true
 
-val pdalVersion = "2.6.0"
+val pdalVersion = "2.6.3"
 
 libraryDependencies ++= Seq(
   "io.pdal" %% "pdal"        % pdalVersion,
diff --git a/examples/pdal-jni/src/main/java/com/azavea/MainJava.java b/examples/pdal-jni/src/main/java/com/azavea/MainJava.java
index fe0b430..0f44f4d 100644
--- a/examples/pdal-jni/src/main/java/com/azavea/MainJava.java
+++ b/examples/pdal-jni/src/main/java/com/azavea/MainJava.java
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@ class MainJava {
   static String json = "{\"pipeline\":[{\"filename\":\"data/1.2-with-color.las\",\"spatialreference\":\"EPSG:2993\"},{\"type\":\"filters.reprojection\",\"out_srs\":\"EPSG:3857\"}]}";
 
   public static void main(String[] args) {
-    // can be replaced via io.pdal.Pipeline$.MODULE$.apply(json, LogLevel.Error());
-    // which encapsulates initialize() call
     var pipeline = new Pipeline(json, LogLevel.Error());
-    pipeline.initialize();
     pipeline.execute();
     System.out.println("pipeline.getMetadata():" + pipeline.getMetadata());
     pipeline.close();