diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index aad7b53de6b..a367e2d4ba4 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -10,6 +10,49 @@
 
 .. towncrier release notes start
 
+3.8.1 (2021-11-14)
+==================
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix the error in handling the return value of `getaddrinfo`.
+  `getaddrinfo` will return an `(int, bytes)` tuple, if CPython could not handle the address family.
+  It will cause a index out of range error in aiohttp. For example, if user compile CPython with
+  `--disable-ipv6` option but his system enable the ipv6.
+  `#5901 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/5901>`_
+- Do not install "examples" as a top-level package.
+  `#6189 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6189>`_
+- Restored ability to connect IPv6-only host.
+  `#6195 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6195>`_
+- Remove ``Signal`` from ``__all__``, replace ``aiohttp.Signal`` with ``aiosignal.Signal`` in docs
+  `#6201 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6201>`_
+- Made chunked encoding HTTP header check stricter.
+  `#6305 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6305>`_
+
+
+Improved Documentation
+----------------------
+
+- update quick starter demo codes.
+  `#6240 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6240>`_
+- Added an explanation of how tiny timeouts affect performance to the client reference document.
+  `#6274 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6274>`_
+- Add flake8-docstrings to flake8 configuration, enable subset of checks.
+  `#6276 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6276>`_
+- Added information on running complex applications with additional tasks/processes -- :user:`Dreamsorcerer`.
+  `#6278 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6278>`_
+
+
+Misc
+----
+
+- `#6205 <https://github.com/aio-libs/aiohttp/issues/6205>`_
+
+
+----
+
+
 3.8.0 (2021-10-31)
 ==================
 
diff --git a/CHANGES/5901.bugfix b/CHANGES/5901.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 5c5940fde1b..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/5901.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-Fix the error in handling the return value of `getaddrinfo`.
-`getaddrinfo` will return an `(int, bytes)` tuple, if CPython could not handle the address family.
-It will cause a index out of range error in aiohttp. For example, if user compile CPython with
-`--disable-ipv6` option but his system enable the ipv6.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6189.bugfix b/CHANGES/6189.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 0c22a6f7977..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6189.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Do not install "examples" as a top-level package.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6195.bugfix b/CHANGES/6195.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index dec44169e22..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6195.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Restored ability to connect IPv6-only host.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6201.bugfix b/CHANGES/6201.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index d09c2d5bbe8..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6201.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove ``Signal`` from ``__all__``, replace ``aiohttp.Signal`` with ``aiosignal.Signal`` in docs
diff --git a/CHANGES/6205.misc b/CHANGES/6205.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 15b60ce0930..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6205.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Declared the minimum required version of ``setuptools`` v46.4.0
-in the :pep:`517` configuration file -- :user:`jameshilliard`.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6240.doc b/CHANGES/6240.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 079548a93ca..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6240.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-update quick starter demo codes.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6274.doc.rst b/CHANGES/6274.doc.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 38d0ea1c992..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6274.doc.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Added an explanation of how tiny timeouts affect performance to the client reference document.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6276.doc b/CHANGES/6276.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index bfd06971499..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6276.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add flake8-docstrings to flake8 configuration, enable subset of checks.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6278.doc b/CHANGES/6278.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 2d18217379d..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6278.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Added information on running complex applications with additional tasks/processes -- :user:`Dreamsorcerer`.
diff --git a/CHANGES/6305.bugfix b/CHANGES/6305.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 7d45266f500..00000000000
--- a/CHANGES/6305.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Made chunked encoding HTTP header check stricter.
diff --git a/aiohttp/__init__.py b/aiohttp/__init__.py
index 9f5168b2965..4bbcef29350 100644
--- a/aiohttp/__init__.py
+++ b/aiohttp/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__version__ = "3.8.0"
+__version__ = "3.8.1"
 
 from typing import Tuple