diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 19daabf76..51cec0d37 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+Overview of changes leading to 1.6.2
+Monday, October 23nd, 2017
+====================================
+
+- Yesterday's release had a bad crasher; don't use it.  That's what
+  happens when one works on Sunday...
+  https://github.com/behdad/harfbuzz/issues/578
+- Build fixes for FreeBSD and Chrome Android.
+
+
 Overview of changes leading to 1.6.1
 Sunday, October 22nd, 2017
 ====================================
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1e00e3d5f..41ace1207 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 AC_PREREQ([2.64])
 AC_INIT([HarfBuzz],
-        [1.6.1],
+        [1.6.2],
         [https://github.com/behdad/harfbuzz/issues/new],
         [harfbuzz],
         [http://harfbuzz.org/])