diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 7a856de..171b109 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-    ".": "0.4.3"
+    ".": "0.4.4"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c52ce8c..910268a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [0.4.4](https://github.com/b-long/opentdf-python-sdk/compare/otdf-python-v0.4.3...otdf-python-v0.4.4) (2026-04-30)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **proto-gen:** fix buf plugin path replacement, GIT_TAG, and generated_dir ([#135](https://github.com/b-long/opentdf-python-sdk/issues/135)) ([88d227d](https://github.com/b-long/opentdf-python-sdk/commit/88d227d83eb5e1903e5a2ef86dc38ea016885f60))
+
 ## [0.4.3](https://github.com/b-long/opentdf-python-sdk/compare/otdf-python-v0.4.2...otdf-python-v0.4.3) (2026-02-05)
 
 
diff --git a/otdf-python-proto/pyproject.toml b/otdf-python-proto/pyproject.toml
index 341f946..5dd668e 100644
--- a/otdf-python-proto/pyproject.toml
+++ b/otdf-python-proto/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "otdf-python-proto"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 description = "Generated protobuf files for OpenTDF Python SDK"
 readme = "README.md"
 authors = [
diff --git a/otdf-python-proto/uv.lock b/otdf-python-proto/uv.lock
index 5e8b04d..b3be02b 100644
--- a/otdf-python-proto/uv.lock
+++ b/otdf-python-proto/uv.lock
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "otdf-python-proto"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "connect-python", extra = ["compiler"] },
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 86df19d..b7911a3 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "otdf-python"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 description = "Unofficial OpenTDF SDK for Python"
 readme = "README.md"
 authors = [
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 7a92a45..6fec279 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "otdf-python"
-version = "0.4.3"
+version = "0.4.4"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "connect-python" },