diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2b4a2d3..3064ee1 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -68,3 +68,5 @@
 /bootc-1.16.6-vendor.tar.zstd
 /bootc-1.16.7.tar.zstd
 /bootc-1.16.7-vendor.tar.zstd
+/bootc-1.16.8.tar.zstd
+/bootc-1.16.8-vendor.tar.zstd
diff --git a/bootc.spec b/bootc.spec
index 0579872..a1e6fd0 100644
--- a/bootc.spec
+++ b/bootc.spec
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 Name:           bootc
 # Ensure this local build overrides anything else.
-Version:        1.16.7
+Version:        1.16.8
 Release:        1%{?dist}
 Summary:        Bootable container system
 
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ fi
 %endif
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Aug 20 2026 imagebuilder-bot <imagebuilder-bots+imagebuilder-bot@redhat.com> - 1.16.8-1
+- New upstream release
+
 * Tue Aug 04 2026 imagebuilder-bot <imagebuilder-bots+imagebuilder-bot@redhat.com> - 1.16.7-1
 - New upstream release
 
diff --git a/sources b/sources
index cc1f8fc..8f3bfdf 100644
--- a/sources
+++ b/sources
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-SHA512 (bootc-1.16.7.tar.zstd) = d9b86afed0109cd911dec4808f46a0d0d7bc4bc7b91019649b7b4b47685a5e4a336747444a1e3a96d535a610b69fa3eba3e220b42018229dfb700f02be5191e1
-SHA512 (bootc-1.16.7-vendor.tar.zstd) = 70a724a87be85376059542bd413376f50daa3f8699cba4859ae630ade7be8c7a8411ad30d08df582362903fc9d42b4db2228c3d1302e7cbc3cead77462335cae
+SHA512 (bootc-1.16.8.tar.zstd) = 22a5330b00a5b1d220081734a1bdf3d6163a53cee2ae0eeae339a671badf817df4586129180342769d479246c9c7bb72a0a27008feba36c16a1ea6df7004a582
+SHA512 (bootc-1.16.8-vendor.tar.zstd) = 322f3235efbf4ad5fe3cac9c6f0388d529b60517619f92ff16801f49340b0142767988154958af1411b7f825acd248dd34f444b996087d12924c4c0d81a13897