diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f52dd6ce8..582376385 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/)
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+
+## [1.6.1] - 2020-04-14
 ### Fixed
 - global variables in hooks are now reloaded between uses to mimic functionality present in `>1.5.0`
 
@@ -774,7 +776,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 ### Changed
 - Fix changed CFN parameters not being displayed during `runway plan`.
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.6.0...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.6.1...HEAD
+[1.6.1]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.6.0...v1.6.1
 [1.6.0]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.5.2...v1.6.0
 [1.5.2]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.5.1...v1.5.2
 [1.5.1]: https://github.com/onicagroup/runway/compare/v1.5.0...v1.5.1
diff --git a/runway/__init__.py b/runway/__init__.py
index 42e47f784..473e82973 100644
--- a/runway/__init__.py
+++ b/runway/__init__.py
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@
 sys.modules['stacker'] = cfngin  # shim to remove stacker dependency
 sys.modules['stacker.variables'] = variables  # shim to support standard variables
 
-__version__ = '1.6.0'
+__version__ = '1.6.1'