diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index a785d763..d8208820 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "3.16.2"
+  ".": "3.16.3"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 36c15385..665ce320 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [3.16.3](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/compare/v3.16.2...v3.16.3) (2026-09-21)
+
+
+### Fixed
+
+* harden ingestion, recovery, and review qualification ([#244](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/issues/244)) ([4455dc4](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/commit/4455dc430c787984c2c8ee12246b2bd7e46a77a0))
+* **ingest:** remediate comprehensive review findings ([#246](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/issues/246)) ([12a41e9](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/commit/12a41e9645ad17f121000bd1c4c4adb27fd6d88d))
+* repair transcript skill evidence and search ([#247](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/issues/247)) ([03ba04d](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/commit/03ba04dfd406f1c9511a4bbd540d32e2002d973d))
+
 ## [3.16.2](https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex/compare/v3.16.1...v3.16.2) (2026-09-11)
 
 
diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 6c891735..f9f5fff7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ checksum = "773648b94d0e5d620f64f280777445740e61fe701025087ec8b57f45c791888b"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cortex"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
@@ -4526,7 +4526,7 @@ checksum = "1ffae5123b2d3fc086436f8834ae3ab053a283cfac8fe0a0b8eaae044768a4c4"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "xtask"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "clap",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c0dad6e9..122939b7 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ missing_safety_doc = "deny"
 
 [package]
 name = "cortex"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 edition.workspace = true
 rust-version.workspace = true
 authors.workspace = true
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index caee0a5b..a892699a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ services:
     # Default tag is kept in sync by `cargo xtask bump-version` (version canon);
     # previously this was frozen at 1.0.0 while migrations moved forward —
     # a stale binary against a newer schema (full-review OH1).
-    image: ghcr.io/dinglebear-ai/cortex:${CORTEX_VERSION:-3.16.2}
+    image: ghcr.io/dinglebear-ai/cortex:${CORTEX_VERSION:-3.16.3}
     container_name: cortex
     user: "${CORTEX_UID:-1000}:${CORTEX_GID:-1000}"
     group_add:
diff --git a/mcpb/manifest.json b/mcpb/manifest.json
index 8cde2101..58a5db5e 100644
--- a/mcpb/manifest.json
+++ b/mcpb/manifest.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "manifest_version": "0.4",
   "name": "cortex",
   "display_name": "Cortex",
-  "version": "3.16.2",
+  "version": "3.16.3",
   "description": "Self-hosted log aggregation and investigation for homelabs: syslog, Docker, OTLP, and AI transcripts in SQLite/FTS, exposed over MCP, CLI, and REST.",
   "long_description": "cortex packages the existing cortex stdio entrypoint as a local MCP Bundle. It is query-only: it reads the configured SQLite database and does not start syslog listeners, HTTP servers, Docker Compose, REST, or deploy flows.",
   "author": {
diff --git a/packages/cortex-rmcp/package.json b/packages/cortex-rmcp/package.json
index 75ef696d..f25cf12c 100644
--- a/packages/cortex-rmcp/package.json
+++ b/packages/cortex-rmcp/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@dinglebear/cortex",
-  "version": "3.16.2",
+  "version": "3.16.3",
   "license": "AGPL-3.0-only",
   "description": "Self-hosted log aggregation and investigation for homelabs: syslog, Docker, OTLP, and AI transcripts in SQLite/FTS, exposed over MCP, CLI, and REST.",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex#readme",
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
     "llm"
   ],
   "mcpName": "ai.dinglebear/cortex",
-  "binaryVersion": "3.16.2",
+  "binaryVersion": "3.16.3",
   "author": {
     "name": "dinglebear.ai",
     "url": "https://dinglebear.ai"
diff --git a/server.json b/server.json
index afea76e5..7229e010 100644
--- a/server.json
+++ b/server.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "name": "ai.dinglebear/cortex",
   "title": "Cortex RMCP",
   "description": "Self-hosted homelab log intelligence over MCP, CLI, and REST with SQLite/FTS.",
-  "version": "3.16.2",
+  "version": "3.16.3",
   "websiteUrl": "https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex",
   "repository": {
     "url": "https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex",
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
       "registryType": "npm",
       "registryBaseUrl": "https://registry.npmjs.org",
       "identifier": "@dinglebear/cortex",
-      "version": "3.16.2",
+      "version": "3.16.3",
       "runtimeHint": "npx",
       "packageArguments": [
         {
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
           "format": "string",
           "isRequired": false,
           "isSecret": false,
-          "placeholder": "v3.16.2"
+          "placeholder": "v3.16.3"
         },
         {
           "name": "CORTEX_RMCP_REPO",
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@
       "namespace": "ai.dinglebear",
       "dnsDomain": "dinglebear.ai",
       "distribution": {
-        "npm": "@dinglebear/cortex@3.16.2",
+        "npm": "@dinglebear/cortex@3.16.3",
         "nodePackage": "@dinglebear/cortex",
-        "ociImage": "ghcr.io/dinglebear-ai/cortex:v3.16.2"
+        "ociImage": "ghcr.io/dinglebear-ai/cortex:v3.16.3"
       },
       "buildInfo": {
-        "version": "3.16.2",
+        "version": "3.16.3",
         "repository": "https://github.com/dinglebear-ai/cortex"
       }
     }
diff --git a/tests/live/services/oauth/Cargo.lock b/tests/live/services/oauth/Cargo.lock
index e0b47299..c422a523 100644
--- a/tests/live/services/oauth/Cargo.lock
+++ b/tests/live/services/oauth/Cargo.lock
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ checksum = "773648b94d0e5d620f64f280777445740e61fe701025087ec8b57f45c791888b"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cortex"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
diff --git a/tests/live/surface-exporter/Cargo.lock b/tests/live/surface-exporter/Cargo.lock
index 1d657e60..85bc0487 100644
--- a/tests/live/surface-exporter/Cargo.lock
+++ b/tests/live/surface-exporter/Cargo.lock
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ checksum = "773648b94d0e5d620f64f280777445740e61fe701025087ec8b57f45c791888b"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cortex"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-stream",
diff --git a/xtask/Cargo.toml b/xtask/Cargo.toml
index 5189cf3d..11ed7dc2 100644
--- a/xtask/Cargo.toml
+++ b/xtask/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "xtask"
-version = "3.16.2"
+version = "3.16.3"
 edition.workspace = true
 rust-version.workspace = true
 authors.workspace = true