diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index deb5a980f..9d43087cf 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ checksum = "1d87ecb2933e8aeadb3e3a02b828fed80a7528047e68b4f424523a0981a3a084"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nokv"
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.12.1"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.23.1",
  "nokv-agent",
@@ -1392,7 +1392,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "nokv-python"
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.12.1"
 dependencies = [
  "nokv-agent",
  "nokv-client",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index bea6d9042..669d9cbd4 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ nokv-object = { path = "crates/nokv-object", version = "0.1.0" }
 nokv-client = { path = "crates/nokv-client", version = "0.1.0" }
 nokv-agent = { path = "crates/nokv-agent", version = "0.1.0" }
 nokv-server = { path = "crates/nokv-server", version = "0.1.0" }
-nokv = { path = "crates/nokv", version = "0.12.0" }
-nokv-python = { path = "crates/nokv-python", version = "0.12.0" }
+nokv = { path = "crates/nokv", version = "0.12.1" }
+nokv-python = { path = "crates/nokv-python", version = "0.12.1" }
 nokv-bench = { path = "bench", version = "0.1.0" }
 holt = { version = "=0.8.7", default-features = false }
 etcd-client = { version = "0.20.0", default-features = false }
diff --git a/crates/nokv-python/Cargo.toml b/crates/nokv-python/Cargo.toml
index 6916749ad..fe9442d52 100644
--- a/crates/nokv-python/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/nokv-python/Cargo.toml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 name = "nokv-python"
 # Wheel version. Keep equal to the crates/nokv package version; the release
 # gate (scripts/release/python_sdk_release.py) refuses a tag otherwise.
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.12.1"
 publish = false
 description = "Python SDK for NoKV Agent workspaces and immutable artifacts."
 edition.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/nokv-python/README.md b/crates/nokv-python/README.md
index 53feba9f0..3b1d72281 100644
--- a/crates/nokv-python/README.md
+++ b/crates/nokv-python/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ in-process API. Agent frameworks should normally expose skills over the CLI.
 This package exposes API version `1` for path-native Workbenches and immutable
 artifacts. The version is available as `nokv.API_VERSION`; the stable package
 exports are listed by `nokv.__all__`. `nokv.__version__` is the NoKV release
-line the installed wheel was built from (for example `0.12.0`); it is not the
+line the installed wheel was built from (for example `0.12.1`); it is not the
 API version and it changes with every release.
 
 ## Install
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ release you pinned by pointing `pip` at that release's assets, and verify the
 download against the published checksum:
 
 ```shell
-version=0.12.0
+version=0.12.1
 pip install "nokv==$version" \
   --find-links "https://github.com/NoKV-Lab/NoKV/releases/expanded_assets/v$version"
 python -c 'import nokv; print(nokv.__version__, nokv.API_VERSION)'
@@ -45,10 +45,12 @@ one identity; the release workflow refuses to publish otherwise. A wheel built
 from an unreleased commit reports that commit's declared version, so pin by
 release tag, not by version string alone, when qualifying a deployment.
 
-Upgrade the SDK, the CLI, and the metadata owner together. 0.12.0 speaks
-`nokv.workspace.rpc.v14` and its handshake refuses an earlier client or owner.
-It also stores metadata in System format 14 and refuses to open a format-13
-store written by 0.11.x, so a 0.12.0 owner starts from a new metadata store.
+Upgrade the SDK, the CLI, and the metadata owner together. The 0.12 releases
+speak `nokv.workspace.rpc.v14`, and their handshake refuses a 0.11.x or older
+client or owner. They also store metadata in System format 14 and refuse to
+open a format-13 store written by 0.11.x, so an owner upgraded from 0.11.x
+starts from a new metadata store. 0.12.0 and 0.12.1 share the protocol and
+the format.
 
 Building from source (`maturin build --release` in `crates/nokv-python`)
 requires a Rust toolchain and a `protoc` binary; that path is for development,
diff --git a/crates/nokv/Cargo.toml b/crates/nokv/Cargo.toml
index eea34897c..994e4c6a5 100644
--- a/crates/nokv/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/nokv/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "nokv"
-version = "0.12.0"
+version = "0.12.1"
 description = "Custom CLI and MCP wiring for NoKV Agent workspaces."
 edition.workspace = true
 rust-version.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/nokv/src/build_info.rs b/crates/nokv/src/build_info.rs
index ed07a3722..e75363e10 100644
--- a/crates/nokv/src/build_info.rs
+++ b/crates/nokv/src/build_info.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn compiled_identity_is_complete() {
-        assert_eq!(VERSION, "0.12.0");
+        assert_eq!(VERSION, "0.12.1");
         assert!(GIT_COMMIT == "unknown" || GIT_COMMIT.len() == 40);
         assert_eq!(CARGO_LOCK_SHA256.len(), 64);
         assert_eq!(HOLT_VERSION, "0.8.7");
diff --git a/docs/development/loopx-stage2a-stack.md b/docs/development/loopx-stage2a-stack.md
index 515da59fe..62b0ba952 100644
--- a/docs/development/loopx-stage2a-stack.md
+++ b/docs/development/loopx-stage2a-stack.md
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ reconstructing the recipe by hand.
 
   ```bash
   python3 -m venv stage2a-venv
-  stage2a-venv/bin/pip install "nokv==0.11.1" \
-    --find-links https://github.com/NoKV-Lab/NoKV/releases/expanded_assets/v0.11.1
+  stage2a-venv/bin/pip install "nokv==0.12.1" \
+    --find-links https://github.com/NoKV-Lab/NoKV/releases/expanded_assets/v0.12.1
   ```
 
   The script refuses a wheel whose `__version__` differs from `nokv --version`,