diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index d8641dcec..730b258db 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 LIST OF CHANGES FOR NPG-QC PACKAGE
 
+release 65.1
+ - bwa to bwa0_6 for rna_seqc rRNA alignment
+
 release 65.0
  - adapter autoqc check - discard code for fastq input
  - add genotype_call_results_reporter script to report genotype_call
diff --git a/lib/npg_qc/autoqc/checks/rna_seqc.pm b/lib/npg_qc/autoqc/checks/rna_seqc.pm
index ed44d6941..7cf7c7bb7 100644
--- a/lib/npg_qc/autoqc/checks/rna_seqc.pm
+++ b/lib/npg_qc/autoqc/checks/rna_seqc.pm
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Readonly::Scalar my $CHILD_ERROR_SHIFT => 8;
 Readonly::Scalar my $MAX_READS         => 100;
 Readonly::Scalar my $MIN_READS         => 50;
 Readonly::Scalar my $PAIRED_FLAG       => 0x1;
-Readonly::Scalar my $RRNA_ALIGNER      => q[bwa];
+Readonly::Scalar my $RRNA_ALIGNER      => q[bwa0_6];
 Readonly::Scalar my $RRNA_STRAIN       => q[default_rRNA];
 Readonly::Scalar my $METRICS_FILE_NAME => q[metrics.tsv];
 Readonly::Scalar my $QUANT_FILE_NAME   => q[quant.genes.sf];