diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 0d1bebe..093be7e 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "1.6.0"
+  ".": "1.6.1"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cda3e01..b059ae8 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.6.1](https://github.com/bcit-tlu/qcon-api/compare/v1.6.0...v1.6.1) (2026-05-25)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* remove stale release-as and fix CLASSPATH undefined var warning ([dec0ea3](https://github.com/bcit-tlu/qcon-api/commit/dec0ea3c8a57a32b259ef7cce76ea60d4bd63548))
+
 ## [1.6.0](https://github.com/bcit-tlu/qcon-api/compare/v0.3.0...v1.6.0) (2026-05-25)
 
 
diff --git a/charts/Chart.yaml b/charts/Chart.yaml
index 713b52d..94f491c 100644
--- a/charts/Chart.yaml
+++ b/charts/Chart.yaml
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ apiVersion: v2
 name: qcon-api
 description: Qcon API — Word-to-SCORM question converter backend
 type: application
-version: 1.6.0 # x-release-please-version
-appVersion: "1.6.0" # x-release-please-version
+version: 1.6.1 # x-release-please-version
+appVersion: "1.6.1" # x-release-please-version