diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ca78b2dc..04a54512 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## 8.16.1
+  - Provides a guidance in logs when plugin version mismatches with connected Elasticsearch `major.minor` version [#253](https://github.com/elastic/logstash-filter-elastic_integration/pull/253)
+  - Embeds Ingest Node components from Elasticsearch 8.16
+  - Compatible with Logstash 8.15+
+
 ## 8.16.0
   - Aligns with stack major and minor versions, no functional changes [#210](https://github.com/elastic/logstash-filter-elastic_integration/pull/210)
   - Embeds Ingest Node components from Elasticsearch 8.16
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 894aa0bc..559d6961 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.16.0
+8.16.1