diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index b65c1b17..ba66514d 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Changes
 
+### 2021-10-24 (2.6.1)
+
+* Restore version.rb with 2.6.1
+
 ### 2021-10-14 (2.6.0)
 
 * Use `rb_enc_interned_str` if available to reduce allocations in `freeze: true` mode. #451.
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index e70b4523..6a6a3d8e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.6.0
+2.6.1
diff --git a/lib/json/version.rb b/lib/json/version.rb
index 1bf6a90a..35e8dd32 100644
--- a/lib/json/version.rb
+++ b/lib/json/version.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: false
 module JSON
   # JSON version
-  VERSION         = '2.6.0'
+  VERSION         = '2.6.1'
   VERSION_ARRAY   = VERSION.split(/\./).map { |x| x.to_i } # :nodoc:
   VERSION_MAJOR   = VERSION_ARRAY[0] # :nodoc:
   VERSION_MINOR   = VERSION_ARRAY[1] # :nodoc: