diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 9b1952e8b00c..f0f8caa6dc8c 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1121,6 +1121,6 @@
   "help+FILLER": "0.0.0",
   "stackdriver": "1.0.0",
   "stackdriver+FILLER": "0.0.0",
-  "stackdriver-core": "1.8.0",
+  "stackdriver-core": "1.8.1",
   "stackdriver-core+FILLER": "0.0.0"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/stackdriver-core/CHANGELOG.md b/stackdriver-core/CHANGELOG.md
index 266aa6bda0c5..15f162349254 100644
--- a/stackdriver-core/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/stackdriver-core/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Release History
 
+### 1.8.1 (2026-10-26)
+
+#### Documentation
+
+* link to the published Ruby version support policy ([#36660](https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-ruby/issues/36660)) 
+
 ### 1.8.0 (2026-06-11)
 
 #### Features
diff --git a/stackdriver-core/lib/stackdriver/core/version.rb b/stackdriver-core/lib/stackdriver/core/version.rb
index 94b60eeba2bd..ac1ae4243015 100644
--- a/stackdriver-core/lib/stackdriver/core/version.rb
+++ b/stackdriver-core/lib/stackdriver/core/version.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@
 
 module Stackdriver
   module Core
-    VERSION = "1.8.0".freeze
+    VERSION = "1.8.1".freeze
   end
 end