diff --git a/pmd-apex/pom.xml b/pmd-apex/pom.xml
index de9d0f2713..786c91a6f9 100644
--- a/pmd-apex/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-apex/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
 		<artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-		<version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	</parent>
 
 	<properties>
diff --git a/pmd-core/pom.xml b/pmd-core/pom.xml
index f35827d26e..9de922105a 100644
--- a/pmd-core/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-core/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-cpp/pom.xml b/pmd-cpp/pom.xml
index 4550dd45e9..f575fdf78a 100644
--- a/pmd-cpp/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-cpp/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-cs/pom.xml b/pmd-cs/pom.xml
index c2c8d3213d..c82d08d13e 100644
--- a/pmd-cs/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-cs/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-dist/pom.xml b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
index 5c18402a6e..ada57924a0 100644
--- a/pmd-dist/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-dist/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-fortran/pom.xml b/pmd-fortran/pom.xml
index e0f4d60f2f..e29ca496a3 100644
--- a/pmd-fortran/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-fortran/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-go/pom.xml b/pmd-go/pom.xml
index cb81832c62..dfdc466d00 100644
--- a/pmd-go/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-go/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-groovy/pom.xml b/pmd-groovy/pom.xml
index 83b475418c..1287b290cb 100644
--- a/pmd-groovy/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-groovy/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-java/pom.xml b/pmd-java/pom.xml
index 859c69ea9c..85bd287a62 100644
--- a/pmd-java/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-java8/pom.xml b/pmd-java8/pom.xml
index 4fb806ebf5..16c4ad14bb 100644
--- a/pmd-java8/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-java8/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-javascript/pom.xml b/pmd-javascript/pom.xml
index 9260b585aa..bafd06c016 100644
--- a/pmd-javascript/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-javascript/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-jsp/pom.xml b/pmd-jsp/pom.xml
index ea67c34b8f..12218a38ee 100644
--- a/pmd-jsp/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-jsp/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-matlab/pom.xml b/pmd-matlab/pom.xml
index d9dc5a5200..1f78040297 100644
--- a/pmd-matlab/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-matlab/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-objectivec/pom.xml b/pmd-objectivec/pom.xml
index 100b70a35f..54c5145c97 100644
--- a/pmd-objectivec/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-objectivec/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-perl/pom.xml b/pmd-perl/pom.xml
index 655913e0ee..c7bd5998cd 100644
--- a/pmd-perl/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-perl/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-php/pom.xml b/pmd-php/pom.xml
index 6f864a1245..84b220f2a4 100644
--- a/pmd-php/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-php/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-plsql/pom.xml b/pmd-plsql/pom.xml
index 6d2baaaca5..9f9cae435f 100644
--- a/pmd-plsql/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-plsql/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-python/pom.xml b/pmd-python/pom.xml
index ac58cf7ece..5c1b3483bb 100644
--- a/pmd-python/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-python/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-ruby/pom.xml b/pmd-ruby/pom.xml
index af8b179741..c7dfba0b85 100644
--- a/pmd-ruby/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-ruby/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-scala/pom.xml b/pmd-scala/pom.xml
index 167e50d795..99e5cbb5a9 100644
--- a/pmd-scala/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-scala/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-swift/pom.xml b/pmd-swift/pom.xml
index 5012f4c66a..809615c841 100644
--- a/pmd-swift/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-swift/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-test/pom.xml b/pmd-test/pom.xml
index 1d5963dec2..4f422ebe0a 100644
--- a/pmd-test/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-test/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-ui/pom.xml b/pmd-ui/pom.xml
index 94428f560f..10d611ee67 100644
--- a/pmd-ui/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-ui/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-visualforce/pom.xml b/pmd-visualforce/pom.xml
index 3d94965acd..cf77cfca45 100644
--- a/pmd-visualforce/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-visualforce/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-vm/pom.xml b/pmd-vm/pom.xml
index b73bc0ea84..031799ea51 100644
--- a/pmd-vm/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-vm/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pmd-xml/pom.xml b/pmd-xml/pom.xml
index b171144397..dc5a2b3fe6 100644
--- a/pmd-xml/pom.xml
+++ b/pmd-xml/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     <parent>
         <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
         <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-        <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     </parent>
 
     <properties>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d18daec1a7..a3e3cf9a27 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
     <groupId>net.sourceforge.pmd</groupId>
     <artifactId>pmd</artifactId>
-    <version>5.9.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>5.8.1-SNAPSHOT</version>
     <packaging>pom</packaging>
     <name>PMD</name>
 
diff --git a/src/site/markdown/overview/changelog.md b/src/site/markdown/overview/changelog.md
index b3c45c2bfb..9e675290e0 100644
--- a/src/site/markdown/overview/changelog.md
+++ b/src/site/markdown/overview/changelog.md
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 # PMD Release Notes
 
-## ????? - 6.0.0-SNAPSHOT
+## ????? - 5.8.1-SNAPSHOT
 
-The PMD team is pleased to announce PMD 6.0.0.
+The PMD team is pleased to announce PMD 5.8.1.
 
-This is a major release.
+This is a bug fixing release.
 
 ### Table Of Contents