diff --git a/doc/tutorials/introduction/cross_referencing/tutorial_cross_referencing.markdown b/doc/tutorials/introduction/cross_referencing/tutorial_cross_referencing.markdown
index ec605c8e45..1257d62d2d 100644
--- a/doc/tutorials/introduction/cross_referencing/tutorial_cross_referencing.markdown
+++ b/doc/tutorials/introduction/cross_referencing/tutorial_cross_referencing.markdown
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ Open your Doxyfile using your favorite text editor and search for the key
 `TAGFILES`. Change it as follows:
 
 @code
-TAGFILES = ./docs/doxygen-tags/opencv.tag=http://docs.opencv.org/4.8.0
+TAGFILES = ./docs/doxygen-tags/opencv.tag=http://docs.opencv.org/4.8.1
 @endcode
 
 If you had other definitions already, you can append the line using a `\`:
 
 @code
 TAGFILES = ./docs/doxygen-tags/libstdc++.tag=https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/libstdc++/latest-doxygen \
-           ./docs/doxygen-tags/opencv.tag=http://docs.opencv.org/4.8.0
+           ./docs/doxygen-tags/opencv.tag=http://docs.opencv.org/4.8.1
 @endcode
 
 Doxygen can now use the information from the tag file to link to the OpenCV
diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/version.hpp b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/version.hpp
index d5494f53a8..ea7a76448c 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/version.hpp
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/version.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #define CV_VERSION_MAJOR    4
 #define CV_VERSION_MINOR    8
-#define CV_VERSION_REVISION 0
+#define CV_VERSION_REVISION 1
 #define CV_VERSION_STATUS   ""
 
 #define CVAUX_STR_EXP(__A)  #__A
diff --git a/modules/python/package/setup.py b/modules/python/package/setup.py
index 11b204d603..d3abbffc1b 100644
--- a/modules/python/package/setup.py
+++ b/modules/python/package/setup.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def main():
     os.chdir(SCRIPT_DIR)
 
     package_name = 'opencv'
-    package_version = os.environ.get('OPENCV_VERSION', '4.8.0')  # TODO
+    package_version = os.environ.get('OPENCV_VERSION', '4.8.1')  # TODO
 
     long_description = 'Open Source Computer Vision Library Python bindings'  # TODO
 
diff --git a/platforms/maven/opencv-it/pom.xml b/platforms/maven/opencv-it/pom.xml
index 8e987002d8..1c46a31d79 100644
--- a/platforms/maven/opencv-it/pom.xml
+++ b/platforms/maven/opencv-it/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.opencv</groupId>
         <artifactId>opencv-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.8.0</version>
+        <version>4.8.1</version>
     </parent>
     <groupId>org.opencv</groupId>
     <artifactId>opencv-it</artifactId>
diff --git a/platforms/maven/opencv/pom.xml b/platforms/maven/opencv/pom.xml
index 2aba1156f3..46201155d4 100644
--- a/platforms/maven/opencv/pom.xml
+++ b/platforms/maven/opencv/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>org.opencv</groupId>
         <artifactId>opencv-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>4.8.0</version>
+        <version>4.8.1</version>
     </parent>
     <groupId>org.opencv</groupId>
     <artifactId>opencv</artifactId>
diff --git a/platforms/maven/pom.xml b/platforms/maven/pom.xml
index b6b57ed916..35579bd789 100644
--- a/platforms/maven/pom.xml
+++ b/platforms/maven/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <groupId>org.opencv</groupId>
     <artifactId>opencv-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>4.8.0</version>
+    <version>4.8.1</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
     <name>OpenCV Parent POM</name>
     <licenses>