diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74bf882
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Git v1.7.9.6 Release Notes
+==========================
+
+Fixes since v1.7.9.5
+--------------------
+
+ * "git merge $tag" to merge an annotated tag always opens the editor
+   during an interactive edit session. v1.7.10 series introduced an
+   environment variable GIT_MERGE_AUTOEDIT to help older scripts decline
+   this behaviour, but the maintenance track should also support it.
+
+Also contains minor fixes and documentation updates.
diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
index 7ccb55d..ae34e8a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git.txt
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@
 branch of the `git.git` repository.
 Documentation for older releases are available here:
 
-* link:v1.7.9.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.9.5]
+* link:v1.7.9.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.9.6]
 
 * release notes for
+  link:RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt[1.7.9.6],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.5.txt[1.7.9.5],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.4.txt[1.7.9.4],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.3.txt[1.7.9.3],
@@ -54,9 +55,10 @@
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.1.txt[1.7.9.1],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.txt[1.7.9].
 
-* link:v1.7.8.4/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.8.4]
+* link:v1.7.8.5/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.8.5]
 
 * release notes for
+  link:RelNotes/1.7.8.5.txt[1.7.8.5],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.8.4.txt[1.7.8.4],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.8.3.txt[1.7.8.3],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.8.2.txt[1.7.8.2],
diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
index 0a5135c..ba8c503 100755
--- a/GIT-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 GVF=GIT-VERSION-FILE
-DEF_VER=v1.7.9.5
+DEF_VER=v1.7.9.6
 
 LF='
 '
diff --git a/RelNotes b/RelNotes
index d71b26d..3f4ce9f 120000
--- a/RelNotes
+++ b/RelNotes
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.5.txt
\ No newline at end of file
+Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt
\ No newline at end of file