diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index c3b51621..849da0ff 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.35.2"
+  ".": "0.35.3"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 94bf0895..818f939f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [0.35.3](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/compare/v0.35.2...v0.35.3) (2026-10-22)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **maintain:** a reconciled store is not a stale one ([#573](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/issues/573)) ([9061d69](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/commit/9061d69c288f6602c1e7f2ccaed923768447bb52))
+* **maintain:** heal the inventory a reconcile left behind ([#574](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/issues/574)) ([944f614](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/commit/944f6141eba6378daf1bc2fffffee4209cdd0b37))
+
+### Miscellaneous Chores
+
+* declare the 0.35.3 release version ([#575](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/issues/575)) ([20af689](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/commit/20af6898a609544f83e46acef539a03d4ceede51))
+
 ## [0.35.2](https://github.com/FreePeak/LeanKG/compare/v0.35.1...v0.35.2) (2026-10-21)
 
 
diff --git a/cmd/leankg/VERSION b/cmd/leankg/VERSION
index abc2aab9..230be868 100644
--- a/cmd/leankg/VERSION
+++ b/cmd/leankg/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.35.2
+0.35.3
diff --git a/internal/mcp/server.go b/internal/mcp/server.go
index 8bd04e01..8d262cd4 100644
--- a/internal/mcp/server.go
+++ b/internal/mcp/server.go
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (s *Server) engineFor(ctx context.Context, req *mcp.CallToolRequest) (*core
 // version is reported as the MCP serverInfo version. It must match the release
 // stamp in cmd/leankg/VERSION — release-please bumps both via their
 // x-release-please-version markers; version_test.go fails on drift.
-const version = "0.35.2" // x-release-please-version
+const version = "0.35.3" // x-release-please-version
 
 // serverInstructions is returned during MCP initialization. MCP clients may
 // add this to the model's system prompt; the shorter toolGuidance below keeps