diff --git a/python/CHANGELOG.md b/python/CHANGELOG.md
index 85da8aef5f..fa63760751 100644
--- a/python/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/python/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,26 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [1.8.1] - 2026-06-09
+
+### Added
+- **agent-framework-core**: Add MCP client OTel spans per GenAI semantic conventions ([#6349](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6349))
+- **agent-framework-core**: Add MCP long-running task support ([#6319](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6319))
+
+### Changed
+- **agent-framework-claude**: Bump `claude-agent-sdk` to 0.2.87 ([#6248](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6248))
+- **agent-framework-core**: Document checkpoint storage security model and deserialization trust boundaries ([#6295](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6295))
+- **agent-framework-azurefunctions**: Document checkpoint storage security model and deserialization trust boundaries ([#6295](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6295))
+
+### Fixed
+- **agent-framework-core**: Filter MCP tool kwargs to declared params via allowlist ([#6399](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6399))
+- **agent-framework-core**: Fix per-service-call history persistence with server-storing clients ([#6310](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6310))
+- **agent-framework-openai**: Use `getattr` for non-OpenAI provider response compatibility ([#6270](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6270))
+- **agent-framework-foundry-hosting**: Refactor workflow-as-agent pending request handling ([#6259](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6259))
+- **agent-framework-gemini**: Make Gemini honor declarative `outputSchema`, not just JSON mode ([#5893](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/5893))
+- **agent-framework-mem0**: Isolate entity retrieval and correct `app_id` payload ([#6242](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6242))
+- **agent-framework-ag-ui**: Match AG-UI approval responses to requested arguments ([#6376](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/pull/6376))
+
 ## [1.8.0] - 2026-06-04
 
 ### Added
@@ -1169,7 +1189,8 @@ Release candidate for **agent-framework-core** and **agent-framework-azure-ai**
 
 For more information, see the [announcement blog post](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/foundry/introducing-microsoft-agent-framework-the-open-source-engine-for-agentic-ai-apps/).
 
-[Unreleased]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.8.0...HEAD
+[Unreleased]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.8.1...HEAD
+[1.8.1]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.8.0...python-1.8.1
 [1.8.0]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.7.0...python-1.8.0
 [1.7.0]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.6.0...python-1.7.0
 [1.6.0]: https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/compare/python-1.5.0...python-1.6.0
diff --git a/python/packages/ag-ui/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/ag-ui/pyproject.toml
index 4a0f8a94f5..4f0ff83aa7 100644
--- a/python/packages/ag-ui/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/ag-ui/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "agent-framework-ag-ui"
-version = "1.0.0rc3"
+version = "1.0.0rc4"
 description = "AG-UI protocol integration for Agent Framework"
 readme = "README.md"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.6.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "ag-ui-protocol>=0.1.16,<0.2",
     "fastapi>=0.115.0,<0.133.1",
     "uvicorn[standard]>=0.30.0,<1"
diff --git a/python/packages/azurefunctions/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/azurefunctions/pyproject.toml
index 77cfdd0c40..a68ada4c25 100644
--- a/python/packages/azurefunctions/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/azurefunctions/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Azure Functions integration for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0b260604"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "agent-framework-durabletask>=1.0.0b260604,<2",
     "azure-functions>=1.24.0,<2",
     "azure-functions-durable>=1.3.1,<2",
diff --git a/python/packages/claude/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/claude/pyproject.toml
index c258a113f9..252dbb261b 100644
--- a/python/packages/claude/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/claude/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Claude Agent SDK integration for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0b260521"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.6.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "claude-agent-sdk>=0.1.36,<0.3",
 ]
 
diff --git a/python/packages/core/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/core/pyproject.toml
index 39b180a23e..bc03bb02dd 100644
--- a/python/packages/core/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/core/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Microsoft Agent Framework for building AI Agents with Python. Thi
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
diff --git a/python/packages/foundry/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/foundry/pyproject.toml
index ab7b4d1dd6..f9a0788273 100644
--- a/python/packages/foundry/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/foundry/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Microsoft Foundry integrations for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.0,<2",
-    "agent-framework-openai>=1.8.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
+    "agent-framework-openai>=1.8.1,<2",
     "azure-ai-inference>=1.0.0b9,<1.0.0b10",
     "azure-ai-projects>=2.2.0,<3.0",
 ]
diff --git a/python/packages/foundry_hosting/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/foundry_hosting/pyproject.toml
index 82246af024..59cc347d13 100644
--- a/python/packages/foundry_hosting/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/foundry_hosting/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Foundry Hosting integration for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0a260604"
+version = "1.0.0a260609"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "azure-ai-agentserver-core>=2.0.0b3,<3",
     "azure-ai-agentserver-responses>=1.0.0b7,<2",
     "azure-ai-agentserver-invocations>=1.0.0b3,<2",
diff --git a/python/packages/gemini/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/gemini/pyproject.toml
index 9a8ad94723..5262170575 100644
--- a/python/packages/gemini/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/gemini/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Google Gemini integration for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0a260521"
+version = "1.0.0a260609"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.6.0,<2.0",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2.0",
     "google-genai>=1.65.0,<2.0.0",
 ]
 
diff --git a/python/packages/mem0/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/mem0/pyproject.toml
index d7db0a2b95..77f934c892 100644
--- a/python/packages/mem0/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/mem0/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Mem0 integration for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.0.0b260521"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.6.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "mem0ai>=1.0.0,<2",
 ]
 
diff --git a/python/packages/openai/pyproject.toml b/python/packages/openai/pyproject.toml
index ce44efeabd..46d7cc1649 100644
--- a/python/packages/openai/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/packages/openai/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "OpenAI integrations for Microsoft Agent Framework."
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.0,<2",
+    "agent-framework-core>=1.8.1,<2",
     "openai>=1.99.0,<3",
 ]
 
diff --git a/python/pyproject.toml b/python/pyproject.toml
index 1cdeec2282..0a4e6f34a9 100644
--- a/python/pyproject.toml
+++ b/python/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description = "Microsoft Agent Framework for building AI Agents with Python. Thi
 authors = [{ name = "Microsoft", email = "af-support@microsoft.com"}]
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 license-files = ["LICENSE"]
 urls.homepage = "https://aka.ms/agent-framework"
 urls.source = "https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework/tree/main/python"
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Typing :: Typed",
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "agent-framework-core[all]==1.8.0",
+    "agent-framework-core[all]==1.8.1",
 ]
 
 [dependency-groups]
diff --git a/python/uv.lock b/python/uv.lock
index 35007ebace..72aa2d01ad 100644
--- a/python/uv.lock
+++ b/python/uv.lock
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 source = { virtual = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", extra = ["all"], marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-ag-ui"
-version = "1.0.0rc3"
+version = "1.0.0rc4"
 source = { editable = "packages/ag-ui" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "ag-ui-protocol", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-azurefunctions"
-version = "1.0.0b260604"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 source = { editable = "packages/azurefunctions" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-claude"
-version = "1.0.0b260521"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 source = { editable = "packages/claude" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-core"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 source = { editable = "packages/core" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "opentelemetry-api", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ dev = [{ name = "types-python-dateutil", specifier = "==2.9.0.20260518" }]
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-foundry"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 source = { editable = "packages/foundry" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-foundry-hosting"
-version = "1.0.0a260604"
+version = "1.0.0a260609"
 source = { editable = "packages/foundry_hosting" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-gemini"
-version = "1.0.0a260521"
+version = "1.0.0a260609"
 source = { editable = "packages/gemini" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ dev = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-mem0"
-version = "1.0.0b260521"
+version = "1.0.0b260609"
 source = { editable = "packages/mem0" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ requires-dist = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "agent-framework-openai"
-version = "1.8.0"
+version = "1.8.1"
 source = { editable = "packages/openai" }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "agent-framework-core", marker = "sys_platform == 'darwin' or sys_platform == 'linux' or sys_platform == 'win32'" },