diff --git a/.hgtags b/.hgtags
index 1f9f2dd2c11..82294f4be9d 100644
--- a/.hgtags
+++ b/.hgtags
@@ -113,3 +113,4 @@ a0a6d9909312ad9c1d844af66e9c91931b93852a v2.5.4
 1dc91e9dd5c13a4bc2d3bb7d4b5896ab264f2325 v2.5.5c2
 7098a46f0b75e5aacfaf81d65d72e3613b023532 v2.5.5
 a87c7b96672b69dffef64c59b56fba5bb2059b99 v2.5.6c1
+de34c7b097e8d66b1140c211dbd61d48b31ba483 v2.5.6
diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index f1e513c4671..0cefd6e6458 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION	2
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION	5
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION	6
-#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_GAMMA
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
+#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_FINAL
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	0
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION		"2.5.6c1"
+#define PY_VERSION		"2.5.6"
 
 /* Subversion Revision number of this file (not of the repository) */
 #define PY_PATCHLEVEL_REVISION  "$Revision$"
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt b/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
index 74971082f17..562929ab818 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/NEWS.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+What's New in IDLE 1.2.6?
+=========================
+
+*Release date: 26-May-2011*
+
 What's New in IDLE 1.2.6c1?
 ===========================
 
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py b/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
index 1dd637c20dd..40604e5d9ee 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/idlever.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-IDLE_VERSION = "1.2.6c1"
+IDLE_VERSION = "1.2.6"
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index d377b2a4ee2..d15f30ac853 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -4,10 +4,16 @@ Python News
 
 (editors: check NEWS.help for information about editing NEWS using ReST.)
 
+What's New in Python 2.5.6?
+===========================
+
+*Release date: 26-May-2011*
+
+
 What's New in Python 2.5.6c1?
 =============================
 
-*Release date: 17-Apr-2010*
+*Release date: 17-Apr-2011*
 
 Library
 -------
diff --git a/README b/README
index 0fd2f5daa8d..a1e1801e07e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-This is Python version 2.5.6c1
-==============================
+This is Python version 2.5.6
+============================
 
 Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
 Python Software Foundation.  All rights reserved.