diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
index e15fc68..1e1d546 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,22 @@ jobs:
           token: ${{ steps.app.outputs.token || github.token }}
           config-file: release-please-config.json
           manifest-file: .release-please-manifest.json
+      # release-please bumps the CITATION.cff version (extra-files) but has no updater for dates: this step sets
+      # date-released to the day of the run on the Release PR's branch, so the merged Release PR carries its own date.
+      - name: Date CITATION.cff on the Release PR
+        if: steps.release.outputs.pr
+        run: |
+          branch=$(jq -r .headBranchName <<<"$PR")
+          git clone --quiet --depth 1 --branch "$branch" "https://x-access-token:${GH_TOKEN}@github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}.git" release-pr
+          cd release-pr
+          sed -i -E "s/^date-released: \"[0-9-]+\"/date-released: \"$(date -u +%F)\"/" CITATION.cff
+          if git diff --quiet; then exit 0; fi
+          git -c user.name="github-actions[bot]" -c user.email="41898283+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com" \
+            commit --quiet -am "chore: date CITATION.cff for the release"
+          git push --quiet origin "HEAD:$branch"
+        env:
+          PR: ${{ steps.release.outputs.pr }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ steps.app.outputs.token || github.token }}
       - name: Run CI on the Release PR
         if: steps.release.outputs.pr && steps.app.outputs.token == ''
         run: gh workflow run ci.yml --repo "$GITHUB_REPOSITORY" --ref "$(jq -r .headBranchName <<<"$PR")"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 76578e0..56f8a64 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ root-attribute file layer. The libhdf5 XCFramework is NOT in 0.3.0 (the asset up
 compatible, not binary compatible). The test-support target `FormatoAcquisitionPins` is not a product. Keep a raw file unchanged while its EMPAD or MIB
 reader or lazy signal exists.
 
-## 0.2.1
+## 0.2.1 (2026-10-15)
 
 - The platform floor drops to macOS 15 and iOS 18 (was macOS 27). The bundled HDF5 2.1.1, libsz and libaec are rebuilt with
   `MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=15.0` (recipe and hashes in `NOTICE`); every pin and test is unchanged.
diff --git a/CITATION.cff b/CITATION.cff
index 2c9872b..83e7214 100644
--- a/CITATION.cff
+++ b/CITATION.cff
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ abstract: >-
 authors:
   - family-names: Lobpreis
     given-names: Paul
-version: "0.11.0"
+version: "0.11.0" # x-release-please-version
 date-released: "2026-10-22"
 license: GPL-3.0-only
 repository-code: "https://github.com/mac4DSTEM/FormatoKit"
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
index 70fb926..41b1e71 100644
--- a/release-please-config.json
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@
   "packages": {
     ".": {
       "package-name": "FormatoKit",
-      "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md"
+      "changelog-path": "CHANGELOG.md",
+      "extra-files": [
+        "CITATION.cff"
+      ]
     }
   }
 }