diff --git a/doc/notes/notes-current.rst b/doc/notes/notes-current.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92c907c488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/notes/notes-current.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+.. Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+..
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+..
+.. This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+.. License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+.. file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+..
+.. See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+.. information regarding copyright ownership.
+
+Notes for BIND 9.16.49
+----------------------
+
+Security Fixes
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- None.
+
+New Features
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- None.
+
+Removed Features
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- None.
+
+Feature Changes
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- None.
+
+Bug Fixes
+~~~~~~~~~
+
+- None.
+
+Known Issues
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- There are no new known issues with this release. See :ref:`above
+  <relnotes_known_issues>` for a list of all known issues affecting this
+  BIND 9 branch.
diff --git a/version b/version
index d67f3a57c7..bfe2066a39 100644
--- a/version
+++ b/version
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ PRODUCT=BIND
 DESCRIPTION="(Extended Support Version)"
 MAJORVER=9
 MINORVER=16
-PATCHVER=48
+PATCHVER=49
 RELEASETYPE=
 RELEASEVER=
 EXTENSIONS=