diff --git a/NEWS.txt b/NEWS.txt
index 771536d5b7..f297634115 100644
--- a/NEWS.txt
+++ b/NEWS.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,15 @@ restore snapshots created with the previous major version using the
 using the provided 'sstableupgrade' tool.
 
 
+1.2.16
+======
+
+Upgrading
+---------
+    - Nothing specific to this release, but please see 1.2.15 if you are upgrading
+      from a previous version.
+
+
 1.2.15
 ======
 
diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index eaf35b5bb4..5db0a6af9e 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
     <property name="debuglevel" value="source,lines,vars"/>
 
     <!-- default version and SCM information -->
-    <property name="base.version" value="1.2.15"/>
+    <property name="base.version" value="1.2.16"/>
     <property name="scm.connection" value="scm:git://git.apache.org/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.developerConnection" value="scm:git://git.apache.org/cassandra.git"/>
     <property name="scm.url" value="http://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf?p=cassandra.git;a=tree"/>
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index bb8ecf2a32..50318c8a6c 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+cassandra (1.2.16) unstable; urgency=low
+
+  * New release
+
+ -- Sylvain Lebresne <slebresne@apache.org>  Mon, 24 Mar 2014 17:15:34 +0100
+
 cassandra (1.2.15) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * New release