diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index 5a1afc65c59..cfef5604d57 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION	3
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION	4
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION	4
-#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      	"3.4.4rc1+"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"3.4.4"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Version as a single 4-byte hex number, e.g. 0x010502B2 == 1.5.2b2.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 20b4c042f39..5f73fd1c2e7 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -7,12 +7,11 @@ What's New in Python 3.4.4?
 
 Release date: 2015/12/20
 
-Core and Builtins
------------------
-
-Library
+Windows
 -------
 
+- Issue #25844: Corrected =/== typo potentially leading to crash in launcher.
+
 
 What's New in Python 3.4.4rc1?
 ==============================
diff --git a/README b/README
index 2775151f2d9..3f1322f1bd5 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-This is Python version 3.4.3
+This is Python version 3.4.4
 ============================
 
 Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,