diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 57df44a3d..154bc8bd9 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 ## Unreleased changes
+
+## Version 1.8.1 - 2023-01-23
 - Initial signal values for certain types were not dumped correctly in
   FST files on Windows (#596).
+- Missing `thirdparty/str-two-way.h` from distribution tarball (#599).
 
 ## Version 1.8.0 - 2023-01-22
 - The `--disable-opt` and `--native` elaborate options which were
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ff13acbfc..952f99299 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-AC_INIT([nvc], [1.8.0],
+AC_INIT([nvc], [1.8.1],
         [Nick Gasson <nick@nickg.me.uk>],
         [nvc],
         [https://github.com/nickg/nvc])
diff --git a/www/defs.m4 b/www/defs.m4
index 6092d5615..ce00493ed 100644
--- a/www/defs.m4
+++ b/www/defs.m4
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-define(__version, `1.8.0')dnl/
-define(__release_date, `22nd January 2023')dnl/
-define(__release_date_short, `2023-01-22')dnl/
+define(__version, `1.8.1')dnl/
+define(__release_date, `23rd January 2023')dnl/
+define(__release_date_short, `2023-01-23')dnl/
 define(__release_notes, `news.html#version-'__version`---'__release_date_short)dnl
 define(__github_url, `https://github.com/nickg/nvc')dnl
 define(__sourcehut_url, `https://git.sr.ht/~nickg/nvc')dnl