diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 54efdd8ba2..7b402a90be 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [16.1.1] - 2024-04-02
+
 ### Fixed
 
 - Bump k8scc to fix issues with IMDS v2.
@@ -1088,7 +1090,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v16.1.0...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v16.1.1...HEAD
+[16.1.1]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v16.1.0...v16.1.1
 [16.1.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v16.0.0...v16.1.0
 [16.0.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v15.0.0...v16.0.0
 [15.0.0]: https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator/compare/v14.24.1...v15.0.0
diff --git a/pkg/project/project.go b/pkg/project/project.go
index 9cf5cc2fd6..26f7e8a059 100644
--- a/pkg/project/project.go
+++ b/pkg/project/project.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ var (
 	gitSHA             = "n/a"
 	name        string = "aws-operator"
 	source      string = "https://github.com/giantswarm/aws-operator"
-	version            = "16.1.1-dev"
+	version            = "16.1.1"
 )
 
 func Description() string {