diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index b5e915730..ce65b73e4 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "5.2.0"
+  ".": "5.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1fd0f0145..431fded22 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,31 @@ This file is maintained by [release-please](https://github.com/googleapis/releas
 from Conventional Commit messages; release sections are generated on release,
 not hand-edited in PRs.
 
+## [5.3.0](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/compare/v5.2.0...v5.3.0) (2026-09-11)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* define scenario verification plugin seam ([#973](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/973)) ([ff73990](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/ff739906acb342a7735fecf10f41017ed8ae7c45))
+* realize runtime orchestration authority ([#959](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/959)) ([6539050](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/65390508db54d118b4dd685db742f3a282b4f366))
+* **scenario:** qualify verifier compatibility atomically and install it on the gate path ([#982](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/982)) ([e83dd86](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/e83dd86f05db1753128176ac0efdfd799237cb3e))
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* derive lab-start pre-flight from the admitted realization ([#960](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/960)) ([170593a](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/170593a6a9b4dc8aac1b4f47bfb209318102cd62))
+* retire Shuffle post-realization mutation ([#950](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/950)) ([b6928e5](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/b6928e52fdf6f88d02a4422b3592f4f003f1e3c6))
+* **workbench:** escalate group teardown unconditionally and stop reading EPERM as presence ([#997](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/997)) ([7c673a1](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/7c673a19f9fb6a3eb1d17305104196b600bd59cc))
+
+
+### Documentation
+
+* audit APTL-to-LilRAE rename boundary ([#972](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/972)) ([201b258](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/201b25835ba394ef1acb7444a08ab6a0b149c143))
+* clarify scenario-pack ownership terminology ([#975](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/975)) ([fb7d535](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/fb7d53562277fbab513425ddd3994b5393680600))
+* clarify scenario-pack terminology ([fb7d535](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/fb7d53562277fbab513425ddd3994b5393680600))
+* record capture asset ownership ([#981](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/981)) ([e76f66f](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/e76f66f898817381113290b6a49b428bee0329b5))
+* review APTL readiness for LilRAE migration ([#971](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/issues/971)) ([d48d2b7](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/commit/d48d2b7e7fb1c1828b2982be917b7b0a98aa6db1))
+
 ## [5.2.0](https://github.com/Brad-Edwards/aptl/compare/v5.1.1...v5.2.0) (2026-09-03)
 
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 8bd5e2cbb..f3cb5fdb8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "aptl-labs"
-version = "5.2.0"
+version = "5.3.0"
 description = "Advanced Purple Team Lab CLI"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"
diff --git a/src/aptl/__init__.py b/src/aptl/__init__.py
index 5f8d2c391..b884a412c 100644
--- a/src/aptl/__init__.py
+++ b/src/aptl/__init__.py
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@
 # pyproject.toml, not this src-layout __init__.py). Keep the annotation comment
 # on the same line as the literal, and keep the literal equal to pyproject's
 # `version` — test_version_consistency.py enforces the latter.
-__version__ = "5.2.0"  # x-release-please-version
+__version__ = "5.3.0"  # x-release-please-version