diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index cbffcd1..6936a3f 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
 #define PY_MAJOR_VERSION        3
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION        8
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION        1
-#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL        PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_GAMMA
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL       1
+#define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL        PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_FINAL
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL       0
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION              "3.8.1rc1+"
+#define PY_VERSION              "3.8.1"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Version as a single 4-byte hex number, e.g. 0x010502B2 == 1.5.2b2.
diff --git a/Lib/pydoc_data/topics.py b/Lib/pydoc_data/topics.py
index a11be7a..9d779d1 100644
--- a/Lib/pydoc_data/topics.py
+++ b/Lib/pydoc_data/topics.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-# Autogenerated by Sphinx on Mon Dec  9 18:44:17 2019
+# Autogenerated by Sphinx on Wed Dec 18 18:17:58 2019
 topics = {'assert': 'The "assert" statement\n'
            '**********************\n'
            '\n'
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/3.8.1.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/3.8.1.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8cd4b35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/3.8.1.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+.. bpo: 39080
+.. date: 2019-12-17-21-45-36
+.. nonce: OrxEVS
+.. release date: 2019-12-18
+.. section: Core and Builtins
+
+Fix the value of *end_col_offset* for Starred Expression AST nodes when they
+are among the elements in the *args* attribute of Call AST nodes.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 39031
+.. date: 2019-12-12-21-05-43
+.. nonce: imlCYZ
+.. section: Core and Builtins
+
+When parsing an "elif" node, lineno and col_offset of the node now point to
+the "elif" keyword and not to its condition, making it consistent with the
+"if" node. Patch by Lysandros Nikolaou.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 39008
+.. date: 2019-12-09-10-38-51
+.. nonce: Rrp6f1
+.. section: Core and Builtins
+
+:c:func:`PySys_Audit` now requires ``Py_ssize_t`` to be used for size
+arguments in the format string, regardless of whethen ``PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN``
+was defined at include time.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 39022
+.. date: 2019-12-10-23-34-48
+.. nonce: QDtIxI
+.. section: Library
+
+Update importliib.metadata to include improvements from importlib_metadata
+1.3 including better serialization of EntryPoints and improved documentation
+for custom finders.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 38811
+.. date: 2019-11-15-18-06-04
+.. nonce: AmdQ6M
+.. section: Library
+
+Fix an unhandled exception in :mod:`pathlib` when :meth:`os.link` is
+missing. Patch by Toke Høiland-Jørgensen.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 36406
+.. date: 2019-03-24-12-12-27
+.. nonce: mCEkOl
+.. section: Library
+
+Handle namespace packages in :mod:`doctest`. Patch by Karthikeyan
+Singaravelan.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 38546
+.. date: 2019-12-17-15-27-07
+.. nonce: 82JwN2
+.. section: Tests
+
+Multiprocessing and concurrent.futures tests now stop the resource tracker
+process when tests complete.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 39007
+.. date: 2019-12-09-10-40-34
+.. nonce: vtarxo
+.. section: Windows
+
+Add auditing events to functions in :mod:`winreg`.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 38295
+.. date: 2019-12-17-03-43-04
+.. nonce: hgDvlB
+.. section: macOS
+
+Prevent failure of test_relative_path in test_py_compile on macOS Catalina.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 38944
+.. date: 2019-11-30-12-10-36
+.. nonce: _3xjKG
+.. section: IDLE
+
+Excape key now closes IDLE completion windows.  Patch by Johnny Najera.
+
+..
+
+.. bpo: 38943
+.. date: 2019-11-29-23-44-11
+.. nonce: 8pUKKs
+.. section: IDLE
+
+Fix IDLE autocomplete windows not always appearing on some systems. Patch by
+Johnny Najera.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-09-10-38-51.bpo-39008.Rrp6f1.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-09-10-38-51.bpo-39008.Rrp6f1.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 35237ce..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-09-10-38-51.bpo-39008.Rrp6f1.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-:c:func:`PySys_Audit` now requires ``Py_ssize_t`` to be used for size
-arguments in the format string, regardless of whethen ``PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN``
-was defined at include time.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-12-21-05-43.bpo-39031.imlCYZ.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-12-21-05-43.bpo-39031.imlCYZ.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 738902c..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-12-21-05-43.bpo-39031.imlCYZ.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-When parsing an "elif" node, lineno and col_offset of the node now point to the "elif" keyword and not to its condition, making it consistent with the "if" node.
-Patch by Lysandros Nikolaou.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-17-21-45-36.bpo-39080.OrxEVS.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-17-21-45-36.bpo-39080.OrxEVS.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index b120d49..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-12-17-21-45-36.bpo-39080.OrxEVS.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix the value of *end_col_offset* for Starred Expression AST nodes when they are among the elements in the *args* attribute of Call AST nodes.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-29-23-44-11.bpo-38943.8pUKKs.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-29-23-44-11.bpo-38943.8pUKKs.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 5c9323e..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-29-23-44-11.bpo-38943.8pUKKs.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Fix IDLE autocomplete windows not always appearing on some systems.
-Patch by Johnny Najera.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-30-12-10-36.bpo-38944._3xjKG.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-30-12-10-36.bpo-38944._3xjKG.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 38084fa..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/IDLE/2019-11-30-12-10-36.bpo-38944._3xjKG.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Excape key now closes IDLE completion windows.  Patch by Johnny Najera.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-03-24-12-12-27.bpo-36406.mCEkOl.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-03-24-12-12-27.bpo-36406.mCEkOl.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 3d81eb5..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-03-24-12-12-27.bpo-36406.mCEkOl.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Handle namespace packages in :mod:`doctest`. Patch by Karthikeyan Singaravelan.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-15-18-06-04.bpo-38811.AmdQ6M.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-15-18-06-04.bpo-38811.AmdQ6M.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 0e4a7f5..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-15-18-06-04.bpo-38811.AmdQ6M.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix an unhandled exception in :mod:`pathlib` when :meth:`os.link` is missing. Patch by Toke Høiland-Jørgensen.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-12-10-23-34-48.bpo-39022.QDtIxI.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-12-10-23-34-48.bpo-39022.QDtIxI.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 4af21be..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-12-10-23-34-48.bpo-39022.QDtIxI.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Update importliib.metadata to include improvements from importlib_metadata 1.3 including better serialization of EntryPoints and improved documentation for custom finders.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-17-15-27-07.bpo-38546.82JwN2.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-17-15-27-07.bpo-38546.82JwN2.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 78d9df3..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tests/2019-12-17-15-27-07.bpo-38546.82JwN2.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Multiprocessing and concurrent.futures tests now stop the resource tracker
-process when tests complete.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2019-12-09-10-40-34.bpo-39007.vtarxo.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2019-12-09-10-40-34.bpo-39007.vtarxo.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index f2f72f9..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Windows/2019-12-09-10-40-34.bpo-39007.vtarxo.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add auditing events to functions in :mod:`winreg`.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/macOS/2019-12-17-03-43-04.bpo-38295.hgDvlB.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/macOS/2019-12-17-03-43-04.bpo-38295.hgDvlB.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index cc9ceb4..0000000
--- a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/macOS/2019-12-17-03-43-04.bpo-38295.hgDvlB.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Prevent failure of test_relative_path in test_py_compile on macOS Catalina.
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 4064b51..d14f2b3 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-This is Python version 3.8.1rc1
-===============================
+This is Python version 3.8.1
+============================
 
 .. image:: https://travis-ci.org/python/cpython.svg?branch=3.8
    :alt: CPython build status on Travis CI