diff --git a/Changelog.txt b/Changelog.txt
index e3ad044005..6787d0819b 100644
--- a/Changelog.txt
+++ b/Changelog.txt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # - title by author
 # }}}
 
-{{{ 8.1.0 2025-03-28
+{{{ 8.1.1 2025-03-28
 
 :: new features
 
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 
 - [2100891] Fix archive formats such as ZIP not being indexed for full text search
 
+- Version 8.1.1 fixes a regression causing an error that does not affect functionality on startup on macOS
+
 :: improved recipes
 - Horizons
 - Economist
diff --git a/src/calibre/constants.py b/src/calibre/constants.py
index 9d3884e565..fcff673d29 100644
--- a/src/calibre/constants.py
+++ b/src/calibre/constants.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from functools import lru_cache
 from polyglot.builtins import environ_item, hasenv
 
 __appname__   = 'calibre'
-numeric_version = (8, 1, 0)
+numeric_version = (8, 1, 1)
 __version__   = '.'.join(map(str, numeric_version))
 git_version   = None
 __author__    = 'Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'