diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index e078bb2d67..160e09e19b 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,14 @@
+8.1.0-dev.449 | 2025-08-21 17:02:51 +0200
+
+  * README.md: Add Mastodon and Bluesky links (Arne Welzel, Corelight)
+
+  * README: Drop "Follow us on Twitter" (Arne Welzel, Corelight)
+
+  * Merge a number of submodules into Zeek (Tim Wojtulewicz, Corelight)
+
+    The code from the gen-zam, bifcl, binpac and zeek-af_packet-plugin
+    submodules has been merged into the Zeek tree.
+
 8.1.0-dev.101 | 2025-08-20 11:38:37 -0400
 
   * Fix Coverity issue with new `Attributes` ctor (Evan Typanski, Corelight)
diff --git a/README b/README
index ca3a1c2103..20d25be70e 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ The Zeek Network Security Monitor
 =================================
 
 Zeek is a powerful framework for network traffic analysis and security
-monitoring. Follow us on Twitter at @zeekurity.
+monitoring.
 
 Key Features
 ============
@@ -101,4 +101,4 @@ others.
 [4] https://www.zeek.org/community/index.html
 [5] https://clang.llvm.org/extra/clang-tidy/
 [6] https://scan.coverity.com/projects/bro
-[7] https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/?utm_source=github&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=open_source
\ No newline at end of file
+[7] https://pvs-studio.com/en/pvs-studio/?utm_source=github&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=open_source
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dda3cb3c49..27f3e5efcb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,14 +15,15 @@ traffic analysis and security monitoring.
 [_Development_](#development) —
 [_License_](#license)
 
-Follow us on Twitter at [@zeekurity](https://twitter.com/zeekurity).
-
 [![Coverage Status](https://coveralls.io/repos/github/zeek/zeek/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://coveralls.io/github/zeek/zeek?branch=master)
 [![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/cirrus/github/zeek/zeek)](https://cirrus-ci.com/github/zeek/zeek)
 
 [![Slack](https://img.shields.io/badge/slack-@zeek-brightgreen.svg?logo=slack)](https://zeek.org/slack)
 [![Discourse](https://img.shields.io/discourse/status?server=https%3A%2F%2Fcommunity.zeek.org)](https://community.zeek.org)
 
+[![Mastodon](https://img.shields.io/badge/mastodon-@zeek@infosec.exchange-brightgreen.svg?logo=mastodon)](https://infosec.exchange/@zeek)
+[![Bluesky](https://img.shields.io/badge/bluesky-@zeek-brightgreen.svg?logo=bluesky)](https://bsky.app/profile/zeek.org)
+
 </h4>
 
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 2cb1cdc6d3..49f2c0a80e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-8.1.0-dev.101
+8.1.0-dev.449