diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 3abd7b56..1c0d9662 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.44.0",
+  ".": "0.44.1",
   "mcp-package": "0.1.2"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 72b34188..0fa90904 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [0.44.1](https://github.com/grafana/plugin-validator/compare/plugin-validator/v0.44.0...plugin-validator/v0.44.1) (2026-06-30)
+
+
+### 🐛 Bug Fixes
+
+* **release:** skip next release PR on release merges ([#626](https://github.com/grafana/plugin-validator/issues/626)) ([4391208](https://github.com/grafana/plugin-validator/commit/439120857f5379b2d85788e76b9e7c290c68aaa6))
+
 ## [0.44.0](https://github.com/grafana/plugin-validator/compare/plugin-validator/v0.43.0...plugin-validator/v0.44.0) (2026-06-30)
 
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 8e636eb3..5e5287f7 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@grafana/plugin-validator",
-  "version": "0.44.0",
+  "version": "0.44.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 2,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@grafana/plugin-validator",
-      "version": "0.44.0",
+      "version": "0.44.1",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "tar": "7.5.16"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index eb0e2d48..94270678 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@grafana/plugin-validator",
-  "version": "0.44.0",
+  "version": "0.44.1",
   "description": "Grafana Plugin Validator",
   "main": "index.js",
   "repository": {