diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index b0c190560..0ddd8a814 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{".":"1.18.0"}
+{".":"1.18.1"}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index dafacd904..a241abad6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,25 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.18.1](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/compare/v1.18.0...v1.18.1) (2025-09-17)
+
+
+### 🐛 Bug Fixes
+
+* **deps:** update dependency com.fasterxml.jackson:jackson-bom to v2.20.0 ([#1604](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1604)) ([b693390](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/b69339067a75a524911dded9798a06e58d628bce))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.github.spotbugs:spotbugs to v4.9.6 ([#1609](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1609)) ([45ff89f](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/45ff89f530e8c73636618676b9db46c61235df57))
+* revert hook data to resolve bytecode incompatibility ([#1613](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1613)) ([9845601](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/984560196d4a34fb21c8946d1dc675cf6565e90f))
+
+
+### 🧹 Chore
+
+* **deps:** update actions/setup-java digest to ead9eaa ([#1608](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1608)) ([a40667e](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/a40667e9cb635f9ba31f6975ba72bc5932fca094))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.github.spotbugs:spotbugs-maven-plugin to v4.9.6.0 ([#1612](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1612)) ([fa23e96](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/fa23e960ff9dc52b5c44b56e521485ca03e0e650))
+* **deps:** update dependency com.vmlens:vmlens-maven-plugin to v1.2.14 ([#1606](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1606)) ([a92a367](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/a92a367fef71cc9ec26f6b1b6609fb8e6b2543bc))
+* **deps:** update dependency dev.cel:cel to v0.11.0 ([#1603](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1603)) ([e792221](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/e7922212d8cd964a8a24dacc518ff31c77fcfae6))
+* **deps:** update github/codeql-action digest to 573acd9 ([#1600](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1600)) ([6fb139f](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/6fb139f8425fb76368b1e1baa745aa182f8c13f7))
+* fix checkout ([#1614](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/issues/1614)) ([fbf2a75](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/fbf2a752647817d3e25d4f8b67893ba5e8f89b7a))
+* relax coverage ([69c5a12](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/commit/69c5a1244283d22af0119f534270726a8c520367))
+
 ## [1.18.0](https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/compare/v1.17.0...v1.18.0) (2025-09-16)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 39f558f8f..58f586478 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
   </a>
   <!-- x-release-please-start-version -->
 
-  <a href="https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/releases/tag/v1.18.0">
-    <img alt="Release" src="https://img.shields.io/static/v1?label=release&message=v1.18.0&color=blue&style=for-the-badge" />
+  <a href="https://github.com/open-feature/java-sdk/releases/tag/v1.18.1">
+    <img alt="Release" src="https://img.shields.io/static/v1?label=release&message=v1.18.1&color=blue&style=for-the-badge" />
   </a>  
 
   <!-- x-release-please-end -->
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ Note that this library is intended to be used in server-side contexts and has no
 <dependency>
     <groupId>dev.openfeature</groupId>
     <artifactId>sdk</artifactId>
-    <version>1.18.0</version>
+    <version>1.18.1</version>
 </dependency>
 ```
 <!-- x-release-please-end-version -->
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ If you would like snapshot builds, this is the relevant repository information:
 <!-- x-release-please-start-version -->
 ```groovy
 dependencies {
-    implementation 'dev.openfeature:sdk:1.18.0'
+    implementation 'dev.openfeature:sdk:1.18.1'
 }
 ```
 <!-- x-release-please-end-version -->
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index cfc16648b..ea6e22a11 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
     <groupId>dev.openfeature</groupId>
     <artifactId>sdk</artifactId>
-    <version>1.18.0</version> <!--x-release-please-version -->
+    <version>1.18.1</version> <!--x-release-please-version -->
 
     <properties>
         <toolchain.jdk.version>[17,)</toolchain.jdk.version>
diff --git a/version.txt b/version.txt
index 84cc52946..ec6d649be 100644
--- a/version.txt
+++ b/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.18.0
+1.18.1