diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 2be9c43..af55ef0 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.2.0"
+  ".": "0.2.1"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0c1a442..5ff25e4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 **Note:** Entries under `[Unreleased]` are generated by [release-please](https://github.com/googleapis/release-please) from conventional commits (e.g. `feat:`, `fix:`, `docs:`). When a release PR is merged, they are moved into a versioned section and the `VERSION` file is updated.
 
+## [0.2.1](https://github.com/vertexnova/vnetemplate/compare/v0.2.0...v0.2.1) (2026-05-17)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* update submodule references for vnecmake, vnecommon, and vnelogging ([#28](https://github.com/vertexnova/vnetemplate/issues/28)) ([1f591f1](https://github.com/vertexnova/vnetemplate/commit/1f591f1083b78eb5ecd941a4b2350e9854255238))
+
 ## [0.2.0](https://github.com/vertexnova/vnetemplate/compare/v0.1.6...v0.2.0) (2026-03-08)
 
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 0ea3a94..0c62199 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.2.0
+0.2.1