diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index f54512174b..bb5457eec1 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Starting with version 1.8.0, pybind11 releases use a `semantic versioning
 IN DEVELOPMENT
 --------------
 
-v2.8.0 (Oct 27, 2021)
+v2.8.1 (Oct 27, 2021)
 ---------------------
 
 Changes and additions:
diff --git a/docs/release.rst b/docs/release.rst
index 7fa254eaf9..b5de60f4e5 100644
--- a/docs/release.rst
+++ b/docs/release.rst
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ To release a new version of pybind11:
       ``include/pybind11/detail/common.h``. PATCH should be a simple integer.
     - Update the version HEX just below, as well.
     - Update ``pybind11/_version.py`` (match above)
-    - Run ``nox -s tests_packaging``` to ensure this was done correctly.
+    - Run ``nox -s tests_packaging`` to ensure this was done correctly.
     - Ensure that all the information in ``setup.cfg`` is up-to-date, like
       supported Python versions.
     - Add release date in ``docs/changelog.rst``.
@@ -50,13 +50,15 @@ To release a new version of pybind11:
 - Make a GitHub release (this shows up in the UI, sends new release
   notifications to users watching releases, and also uploads PyPI packages).
   (Note: if you do not use an existing tag, this creates a new lightweight tag
-  for you, so you could skip the above step).
-    - GUI method: click "Create a new release" on the far right, fill in the tag
-      name (if you didn't tag above, it will be made here), fill in a release
-      name like "Version X.Y.Z", and optionally copy-and-paste the changelog into
-      the description (processed as markdown by Pandoc). Check "pre-release" if
-      this is a beta/RC. You can get partway there with
-      ``cat docs/changelog.rst | pandoc -f rst -t gfm``.
+  for you, so you could skip the above step.)
+
+    - GUI method: Under `releases <https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/releases>`_
+      click "Draft a new release" on the far right, fill in the tag name
+      (if you didn't tag above, it will be made here), fill in a release name
+      like "Version X.Y.Z", and copy-and-paste the markdown-formatted (!) changelog
+      into the description (usually ``cat docs/changelog.rst | pandoc -f rst -t gfm``).
+      Check "pre-release" if this is a beta/RC.
+
     - CLI method: with ``gh`` installed, run ``gh release create vX.Y.Z -t "Version X.Y.Z"``
       If this is a pre-release, add ``-p``.
 
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ To release a new version of pybind11:
     - Update version macros in ``include/pybind11/detail/common.h`` (set PATCH to
       ``0.dev1`` and increment MINOR).
     - Update ``_version.py`` to match
-    - Run ``nox -s tests_packaging``` to ensure this was done correctly.
+    - Run ``nox -s tests_packaging`` to ensure this was done correctly.
     - Add a spot for in-development updates in ``docs/changelog.rst``.
     - ``git add``, ``git commit``, ``git push``
 
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ If a version branch is updated, remember to set PATCH to ``1.dev1``.
 
 If you'd like to bump homebrew, run:
 
-.. code-block::
+.. code-block:: console
 
     brew bump-formula-pr --url https://github.com/pybind/pybind11/archive/vX.Y.Z.tar.gz
 
diff --git a/include/pybind11/detail/common.h b/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
index 862451fd13..713de94b03 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/detail/common.h
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #define PYBIND11_VERSION_MAJOR 2
-#define PYBIND11_VERSION_MINOR 9
-#define PYBIND11_VERSION_PATCH 0.dev1
+#define PYBIND11_VERSION_MINOR 8
+#define PYBIND11_VERSION_PATCH 1
 
 // Similar to Python's convention: https://docs.python.org/3/c-api/apiabiversion.html
 // Additional convention: 0xD = dev
-#define PYBIND11_VERSION_HEX 0x020900D1
+#define PYBIND11_VERSION_HEX 0x02080100
 
 #define PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_BEGIN(name) namespace name {
 #define PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_END(name) }
diff --git a/pybind11/_version.py b/pybind11/_version.py
index ce894a7740..7cc1002869 100644
--- a/pybind11/_version.py
+++ b/pybind11/_version.py
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ def _to_int(s):
         return s
 
 
-__version__ = "2.9.0.dev1"
+__version__ = "2.8.1"
 version_info = tuple(_to_int(s) for s in __version__.split("."))