diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index c97bfc5b..16fd47ca 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 2.5.2
+current_version = 2.5.3
 commit = True
 tag = False
 tag_name = {new_version}
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ search = {current_version}
 replace = {new_version}
 
 [bumpversion:file:RELEASE.txt]
-search = {current_version} 2024-07-19T03:04:07Z
+search = {current_version} 2024-09-11T22:57:09Z
 replace = {new_version} {utcnow:%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ}
 
 [bumpversion:part:releaseTime]
-values = 2024-07-19T03:04:07Z
+values = 2024-09-11T22:57:09Z
 
 [bumpversion:file(version):birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template]
 search = 'version': '{current_version}'
diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index aa30e613..a83d33ec 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 [Unreleased](https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/master) (latest)
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+[//]: # (list changes here, using '-' for each new entry, remove this when items are added)
+
+[2.5.3](https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.5.3) (2024-09-11)
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 ## Changes
 
 - Magpie/Twitcher: update Python packages and base Docker image to address security vulnerabilities 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1b79f856..190c9521 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Generic variables
 override SHELL       := bash
 override APP_NAME    := birdhouse-deploy
-override APP_VERSION := 2.5.2
+override APP_VERSION := 2.5.3
 
 # utility to remove comments after value of an option variable
 override clean_opt = $(shell echo "$(1)" | $(_SED) -r -e "s/[ '$'\t'']+$$//g")
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 3cb2890c..e0924ff6 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ for a full-fledged production platform.
     * - citation
       - | |citation|
 
-.. |commits-since| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/commits-since/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/2.5.2.svg
+.. |commits-since| image:: https://img.shields.io/github/commits-since/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/2.5.3.svg
     :alt: Commits since latest release
-    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/compare/2.5.2...master
+    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/compare/2.5.3...master
 
-.. |latest-version| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/tag-2.5.2-blue.svg?style=flat
+.. |latest-version| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/tag-2.5.3-blue.svg?style=flat
     :alt: Latest Tag
-    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.5.2
+    :target: https://github.com/bird-house/birdhouse-deploy/tree/2.5.3
 
 .. |readthedocs| image:: https://readthedocs.org/projects/birdhouse-deploy/badge/?version=latest
     :alt: ReadTheDocs Build Status (latest version)
diff --git a/RELEASE.txt b/RELEASE.txt
index 57f37a7d..17a7e48f 100644
--- a/RELEASE.txt
+++ b/RELEASE.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.5.2 2024-07-19T03:04:07Z
+2.5.3 2024-09-11T22:57:09Z
diff --git a/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template b/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
index e30c9c96..b6eef634 100644
--- a/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
+++ b/birdhouse/components/canarie-api/docker_configuration.py.template
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ SERVICES = {
             # NOTE:
             #   Below version and release time auto-managed by 'make VERSION=x.y.z bump'.
             #   Do NOT modify it manually. See 'Tagging policy' in 'birdhouse/README.rst'.
-            'version': '2.5.2',
-            'releaseTime': '2024-07-19T03:04:07Z',
+            'version': '2.5.3',
+            'releaseTime': '2024-09-11T22:57:09Z',
             'institution': '${BIRDHOUSE_INSTITUTION}',
             'researchSubject': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUBJECT}',
             'supportEmail': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUPPORT_EMAIL}',
@@ -141,8 +141,8 @@ PLATFORMS = {
             # NOTE:
             #   Below version and release time auto-managed by 'make VERSION=x.y.z bump'.
             #   Do NOT modify it manually. See 'Tagging policy' in 'birdhouse/README.rst'.
-            'version': '2.5.2',
-            'releaseTime': '2024-07-19T03:04:07Z',
+            'version': '2.5.3',
+            'releaseTime': '2024-09-11T22:57:09Z',
             'institution': '${BIRDHOUSE_INSTITUTION}',
             'researchSubject': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUBJECT}',
             'supportEmail': '${BIRDHOUSE_SUPPORT_EMAIL}',
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 46859be7..5010e442 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = '2.5.2'
+version = '2.5.3'
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '2.5.2'
+release = '2.5.3'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.