diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0dae933..2efb982 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -66,3 +66,5 @@
 /bootc-1.16.7-vendor.tar.zstd
 /bootc-1.16.8.tar.zstd
 /bootc-1.16.8-vendor.tar.zstd
+/bootc-1.16.9.tar.zstd
+/bootc-1.16.9-vendor.tar.zstd
diff --git a/bootc.spec b/bootc.spec
index ee1e302..c482030 100644
--- a/bootc.spec
+++ b/bootc.spec
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 Name:           bootc
 # Ensure this local build overrides anything else.
-Version:        1.16.8
+Version:        1.16.9
 Release:        1%{?dist}
 Summary:        Bootable container system
 
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ fi
 %endif
 
 %changelog
+* Fri Aug 21 2026 imagebuilder-bot <imagebuilder-bots+imagebuilder-bot@redhat.com> - 1.16.9-1
+- New upstream release
+
 * Thu Aug 20 2026 imagebuilder-bot <imagebuilder-bots+imagebuilder-bot@redhat.com> - 1.16.8-1
 - New upstream release
 
diff --git a/sources b/sources
index 8f3bfdf..5fe5e01 100644
--- a/sources
+++ b/sources
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-SHA512 (bootc-1.16.8.tar.zstd) = 22a5330b00a5b1d220081734a1bdf3d6163a53cee2ae0eeae339a671badf817df4586129180342769d479246c9c7bb72a0a27008feba36c16a1ea6df7004a582
-SHA512 (bootc-1.16.8-vendor.tar.zstd) = 322f3235efbf4ad5fe3cac9c6f0388d529b60517619f92ff16801f49340b0142767988154958af1411b7f825acd248dd34f444b996087d12924c4c0d81a13897
+SHA512 (bootc-1.16.9.tar.zstd) = 6b47ac31cf43f71f177955c848947f84e14fe10926d5244e74ce2b02ee9d6b5a33c6197d7b8f1ddcb48d65a3442d76826ec910adc1ce6c975bc4480b66de540e
+SHA512 (bootc-1.16.9-vendor.tar.zstd) = 0e95d4afdbcf9f70a8ecab4d0e763eeec55a6f425dacbb2663e1f2a4c9744f448660320fb34e99bd72981f4bc5c976af2662a482e07bf1341b5bcbbb9e5914de