diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 59a17b1f6..439d05110 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+### mate-panel 1.28.1
+
+  * Build: require mate-desktop 1.28.2
+  * [ci]  use mate-desktop 1.28.2 upon which this depends
+  * Use MateImageMenuItem properly
+
 ### mate-panel 1.28.0
 
   * update translations
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 03b2b723b..97db8b600 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-AC_INIT([mate-panel], [1.28.0], [https://github.com/mate-desktop/mate-panel/issues],
+AC_INIT([mate-panel], [1.28.1], [https://github.com/mate-desktop/mate-panel/issues],
     [mate-panel], [https://mate-desktop.org])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS(config.h)
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([1.9 no-dist-gzip dist-xz tar-ustar -Wno-portability check-news])