diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index 34a3350..83f9eb8 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "4.2.0"
+  ".": "4.3.0"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index be12a15..70b677b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 Historical commit-level notes through 4.2.0 are in [release_notes.md](release_notes.md).
 New entries are maintained by Release Please.
 
+## [4.3.0](https://github.com/appium/ruby_console/compare/v4.2.0...v4.3.0) (2026-09-20)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* correct console setup defaults and safely load files ([#265](https://github.com/appium/ruby_console/issues/265)) ([d127d91](https://github.com/appium/ruby_console/commit/d127d9150d72fec8529d9c68c121a5dc6b50fb4c))
+
 ## [4.2.0] - 2025-01-25
 
 - See the historical release notes for this release.
diff --git a/lib/appium_console/version.rb b/lib/appium_console/version.rb
index a3d90e9..13e3563 100644
--- a/lib/appium_console/version.rb
+++ b/lib/appium_console/version.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 module Appium; end unless defined? Appium
 module Appium
   module Console
-    VERSION = '4.2.0' unless defined? ::Appium::Console::VERSION
-    DATE = '2025-01-25' unless defined? ::Appium::Console::DATE # x-release-please-date
+    VERSION = '4.3.0' unless defined? ::Appium::Console::VERSION
+    DATE = '2026-09-20' unless defined? ::Appium::Console::DATE # x-release-please-date
   end
 end