diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 579b30121..09a928635 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-NEXT
+2.6.2
 -----------
 
 - Added function pytest.freeze_includes(), which makes it easy to embed
diff --git a/HOWTORELEASE.rst b/HOWTORELEASE.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..261c89497
--- /dev/null
+++ b/HOWTORELEASE.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+
+How to release pytest (draft)
+--------------------------------------------
+
+1. bump version numbers in setup.py and pytest/__init__.py
+
+2. check and finalize CHANGELOG
+
+3. write doc/en/announce/pytest-VERSION.txt and include
+   it in doc/en/announce/index.txt
+
+4. use devpi for uploading a release tarball to a staging area:
+   - ``devpi use https://devpi.net/USER/dev`` 
+   - ``devpi upload``
+
+5. run from multiple machines:
+   - ``devpi use https://devpi.net/USER/dev`` 
+   - ``devpi test pytest-VERSION``
+
+6. check that tests pass for relevant combinations with
+   ``devpi list pytest`` 
+   or look at failures with "devpi list -f pytest".
+   There will be some failed environments like e.g. the py33-trial 
+   or py27-pexpect tox environments on Win32 platforms
+   which is ok (tox does not support skipping on
+   per-platform basis yet).
+
+7. go to "doc/en" and upload docs with "make install"
+   (the latter requires ssh-login permissions on pytest.org 
+   because it uses rsync).  Note that the "install" target of
+   doc/en/Makefile defines where the rsync goes to, typically
+   to the "latest" section of pytest.org.
+
+8. publish to pypi "devpi push pytest-2.6.2 pypi:NAME" where NAME 
+   is the name of pypi.python.org as configured in your 
+   ~/.pypirc file -- it's the same you would use with 
+   "setup.py upload -r NAME"
+
+9. send release announcement to mailing lists:
+
+   pytest-dev
+   testing-in-python
+   python-announce-list@python.org
+
diff --git a/_pytest/__init__.py b/_pytest/__init__.py
index 39aed090e..341423b72 100644
--- a/_pytest/__init__.py
+++ b/_pytest/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 #
-__version__ = '2.6.2.dev1'
+__version__ = '2.6.2'
diff --git a/doc/en/announce/index.txt b/doc/en/announce/index.txt
index 30de39011..838226419 100644
--- a/doc/en/announce/index.txt
+++ b/doc/en/announce/index.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ Release announcements
 .. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 2
 
+   release-2.6.2
+   release-2.6.1
+   release-2.6.0
    release-2.5.2
    release-2.5.1
    release-2.5.0
diff --git a/doc/en/announce/release-2.6.2.txt b/doc/en/announce/release-2.6.2.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4efc73a4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/en/announce/release-2.6.2.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+pytest-2.6.2: few fixes and cx_freeze support
+===========================================================================
+
+pytest is a mature Python testing tool with more than a 1100 tests
+against itself, passing on many different interpreters and platforms.
+This release is drop-in compatible to 2.5.2 and 2.6.X.  It also
+brings support for including pytest with cx_freeze or similar
+freezing tools into your single-file app distribution.  For details
+see the CHANGELOG below.
+
+See docs at:
+
+    http://pytest.org
+
+As usual, you can upgrade from pypi via::
+
+    pip install -U pytest
+
+Thanks to all who contributed, among them:
+
+    Floris Bruynooghe
+    Benjamin Peterson
+    Bruno Oliveira
+
+have fun,
+holger krekel
+
+2.6.2
+-----------
+
+- Added function pytest.freeze_includes(), which makes it easy to embed
+  pytest into executables using tools like cx_freeze.
+  See docs for examples and rationale. Thanks Bruno Oliveira.
+
+- Improve assertion rewriting cache invalidation precision.
+
+- fixed issue561: adapt autouse fixture example for python3.
+
+- fixed issue453: assertion rewriting issue with __repr__ containing
+  "\n{", "\n}" and "\n~".
+
+- fix issue560: correctly display code if an "else:" or "finally:" is
+  followed by statements on the same line.
+
+- Fix example in monkeypatch documentation, thanks t-8ch.
+
+- fix issue572: correct tmpdir doc example for python3.
+
+- Do not mark as universal wheel because Python 2.6 is different from
+  other builds due to the extra argparse dependency.  Fixes issue566.
+  Thanks sontek.
+
diff --git a/doc/en/conf.py b/doc/en/conf.py
index d6df88a33..afe3f1e2b 100644
--- a/doc/en/conf.py
+++ b/doc/en/conf.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
 # The short X.Y version.
 version = "2.6"
-release = "2.6.1"
+release = "2.6.2"
 
 import sys, os
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 34b323459..c7c265baa 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ long_description = open('README.rst').read()
 
 
 def main():
-    install_requires = ['py>=1.4.24.dev1']
+    install_requires = ['py>=1.4.24']
     if sys.version_info < (2, 7) or (3,) <= sys.version_info < (3, 2):
         install_requires.append('argparse')
     if sys.platform == 'win32':
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def main():
         name='pytest',
         description='pytest: simple powerful testing with Python',
         long_description=long_description,
-        version='2.6.2.dev1',
+        version='2.6.2',
         url='http://pytest.org',
         license='MIT license',
         platforms=['unix', 'linux', 'osx', 'cygwin', 'win32'],