diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index f6aca57cd..7528423fd 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 2.6.1
+current_version = 2.6.2
 commit = True
 tag = False
 tag_name = {new_version}
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ search = {current_version}
 replace = {new_version}
 
 [bumpversion:file:RELEASE.txt]
-search = {current_version} 2024-11-22T15:57:16Z
+search = {current_version} 2024-12-03T20:46:32Z
 replace = {new_version} {utcnow:%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ}
 
 [bumpversion:part:releaseTime]
-values = 2024-11-22T15:57:16Z
+values = 2024-12-03T20:46:32Z
 
 [bumpversion:file(version):birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template]
 search = 'version': '{current_version}'
diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 7552607cb..74f7fd58b 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 [Unreleased](https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/master) (latest)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+[//]: # (list changes here, using '-' for each new entry, remove this when items are added)
+
+[2.6.2](https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.6.2) (2024-12-03)
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 ## Changes
 
 - Fix help string description for `bin/birdhouse configs` command
@@ -34,6 +39,13 @@
   is read-only, the second volume mount fails.
 
 
+## Fixes
+
+- Correct docker image for `stac-populator` optional component
+
+  This sets the docker image for the `stac-populator` component to a version that actually contains the code
+  that is executed when `stac-populator` is called. The previous image no longer contained the relevant code.
+
 [2.6.1](https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.6.1) (2024-11-22)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4898723ba..7688c675e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Generic variables
 override SHELL       := bash
 override APP_NAME    := birdhouse-deploy
-override APP_VERSION := 2.6.1
+override APP_VERSION := 2.6.2
 
 # utility to remove comments after value of an option variable
 override clean_opt = $(shell echo "$(1)" | $(_SED) -r -e "s/[ '$'\t'']+$$//g")
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 1beff68f2..823356583 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ for a full-fledged production platform.
     * - citation
       - | |citation|
 
-.. |commits-since| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/commits-since/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/2.6.1.svg
+.. |commits-since| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/commits-since/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/2.6.2.svg
     :alt: Commits since latest release
-    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/compare/2.6.1...master
+    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/compare/2.6.2...master
 
-.. |latest-version| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/tag-2.6.1-blue.svg?style=flat
+.. |latest-version| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/tag-2.6.2-blue.svg?style=flat
     :alt: Latest Tag
-    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.6.1
+    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.6.2
 
 .. |readthedocs| image:: https://readthedocs.org/projects/birdhouse-deploy/badge/?version=latest
     :alt: ReadTheDocs Build Status (latest version)
diff --git a/RELEASE.txt b/RELEASE.txt
index e7298cd33..3157852a9 100644
--- a/RELEASE.txt
+++ b/RELEASE.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.6.1 2024-11-22T15:57:16Z
+2.6.2 2024-12-03T20:46:32Z
diff --git a/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template b/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
index 22f6cb7b5..0e9a3cbc0 100644
--- a/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
+++ b/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ SERVICES = {
             # NOTE:
             #   Below version and release time auto-managed by 'make VERSION=x.y.z bump'.
             #   Do NOT modify it manually. See 'Tagging policy' in 'birdhouse/README.rst'.
-            'version': '2.6.1',
-            'releaseTime': '2024-11-22T15:57:16Z',
+            'version': '2.6.2',
+            'releaseTime': '2024-12-03T20:46:32Z',
             'institution': '${BIRDHOUSE_INSTITUTION}',
             'researchSubject': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUBJECT}',
             'supportEmail': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUPPORT_EMAIL}',
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ PLATFORMS = {
             # NOTE:
             #   Below version and release time auto-managed by 'make VERSION=x.y.z bump'.
             #   Do NOT modify it manually. See 'Tagging policy' in 'birdhouse/README.rst'.
-            'version': '2.6.1',
-            'releaseTime': '2024-11-22T15:57:16Z',
+            'version': '2.6.2',
+            'releaseTime': '2024-12-03T20:46:32Z',
             'institution': '${BIRDHOUSE_INSTITUTION}',
             'researchSubject': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUBJECT}',
             'supportEmail': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUPPORT_EMAIL}',
diff --git a/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/default.env b/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/default.env
index 8a68eb6eb..5501c5e62 100644
--- a/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/default.env
+++ b/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/default.env
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+export STAC_POPULATOR_DOCKER=ghcr.io/crim-ca/stac-populator
+export STAC_POPULATOR_VERSION=0.0.0
+export STAC_POPULATOR_IMAGE='${STAC_POPULATOR_DOCKER}:${STAC_POPULATOR_VERSION}'
+
 export STAC_ASSET_GENERATOR_TIMEOUT=200
 
 # add any new variables not already in 'VARS' or 'OPTIONAL_VARS' that must be replaced in templates here
@@ -13,3 +17,8 @@ VARS="$VARS $EXTRA_VARS"
 COMPONENT_DEPENDENCIES="
   ./components/stac
 "
+
+export DELAYED_EVAL="
+  $DELAYED_EVAL
+  STAC_POPULATOR_IMAGE
+"
diff --git a/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/docker-compose-extra.yml b/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/docker-compose-extra.yml
index 9f07f1f21..0917ca0e3 100644
--- a/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/docker-compose-extra.yml
+++ b/birdhouse/optional-components/stac-populator/docker-compose-extra.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ services:
   # populates STAC catalog with sample collection items
   stac-populator:
     container_name: stac-populator
-    image: ghcr.io/crim-ca/stac-populator:master
+    image: ${STAC_POPULATOR_IMAGE}
     environment:
       - STAC_ASSET_GENERATOR_TIMEOUT=${STAC_ASSET_GENERATOR_TIMEOUT}
       - STAC_HOST=http://stac:8000/stac  # STAC API internally accessed to avoid Twitcher authentication
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index f801553bd..06dffec83 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = '2.6.1'
+version = '2.6.2'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '2.6.1'
+release = '2.6.2'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.