diff --git a/.github/release-please.yml b/.github/release-please.yml
index 2f7e4043..b13f3c0c 100644
--- a/.github/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/release-please.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 releaseType: java-bom
+handleGHRelease: true
 bumpMinorPreMajor: true
 branches:
   - releaseType: java-yoshi
+    handleGHRelease: true
     bumpMinorPreMajor: true
     branch: java7
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 65ae6ecd..d510359d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -42,19 +42,6 @@ jobs:
         java-version: ${{matrix.java}}
     - run: java -version
     - run: .kokoro/dependencies.sh
-  linkage-monitor:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
-    - uses: actions/setup-java@v1
-      with:
-        java-version: 8
-    - run: java -version
-    - name: Install artifacts to local Maven repository
-      run: .kokoro/build.sh
-      shell: bash
-    - name: Validate any conflicts with regard to com.google.cloud:libraries-bom (latest release)
-      uses: GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/linkage-monitor@v1-linkagemonitor
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/downstream.yaml b/.github/workflows/downstream.yaml
index 40817e11..3ff62e52 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/downstream.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/downstream.yaml
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ jobs:
           - java-pubsub
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: stCarolas/setup-maven@v4
+        with:
+          maven-version: 3.8.1
       - uses: actions/setup-java@v1
         with:
           java-version: ${{matrix.java}}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9fee7bb4..2f5068d9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+### [2.2.1](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/compare/2.2.0...v2.2.1) (2021-09-13)
+
+
+### Dependencies
+
+* update gax.version to v2.4.1 ([#464](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/issues/464)) ([bc7c6d7](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/commit/bc7c6d7ca161ebfa31895c375d65bca29d4c7336))
+* update google.core.version to v2.1.3 ([#465](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/issues/465)) ([848f608](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/commit/848f608ae850bd2dd80ec56034eb0c9a18f0415b))
+
 ## [2.2.0](https://www.github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies/compare/2.1.0...v2.2.0) (2021-08-31)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2dccb0b7..da8de9ad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ If you are using Maven, add this to the `dependencyManagement` section.
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-shared-dependencies</artifactId>
-      <version>2.2.0</version>
+      <version>2.2.1</version>
       <type>pom</type>
       <scope>import</scope>
     </dependency>
diff --git a/first-party-dependencies/pom.xml b/first-party-dependencies/pom.xml
index ecc92b4d..700676c2 100644
--- a/first-party-dependencies/pom.xml
+++ b/first-party-dependencies/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
   <artifactId>first-party-dependencies</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
-  <version>2.2.0</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
+  <version>2.2.1</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
   <name>Google Cloud First-party Shared Dependencies</name>
   <url>https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies</url>
   <description>
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
     <site.installationModule>${project.artifactId}</site.installationModule>
     <grpc.version>1.40.1</grpc.version>
-    <gax.version>2.4.0</gax.version>
+    <gax.version>2.4.1</gax.version>
     <grpc-gcp.version>1.1.0</grpc-gcp.version>
     <guava.version>30.1.1-jre</guava.version>
     <protobuf.version>3.17.3</protobuf.version>
     <google.api-common.version>2.0.2</google.api-common.version>
     <google.common-protos.version>2.5.0</google.common-protos.version>
-    <google.core.version>2.1.2</google.core.version>
+    <google.core.version>2.1.3</google.core.version>
     <google.auth.version>1.1.0</google.auth.version>
     <google.http-client.version>1.40.0</google.http-client.version>
     <google.oauth-client.version>1.32.1</google.oauth-client.version>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 4904246e..e81f3e9f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
   <artifactId>google-cloud-shared-dependencies</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
-  <version>2.2.0</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
+  <version>2.2.1</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
   <modules>
     <module>first-party-dependencies</module>
     <module>third-party-dependencies</module>
@@ -65,14 +65,14 @@
       <dependency>
         <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
         <artifactId>first-party-dependencies</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2.0</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
+        <version>2.2.1</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
         <type>pom</type>
         <scope>import</scope>
       </dependency>
       <dependency>
         <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
         <artifactId>third-party-dependencies</artifactId>
-        <version>2.2.0</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
+        <version>2.2.1</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
         <type>pom</type>
         <scope>import</scope>
       </dependency>
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index a041e293..fac550a6 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies.git",
-        "sha": "b28723ace0c27ebc73f23a2d094e0fe9ba8a9075"
+        "sha": "9998ae51ee4643c0834a3b7649912f65160d18d6"
       }
     },
     {
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "63cff634aabb85854caa511c5837ea6b45f42b4b"
+        "sha": "e2aa5bcc3356d9e3b8b53de3b5c86226447d3a22"
       }
     }
   ],
diff --git a/third-party-dependencies/pom.xml b/third-party-dependencies/pom.xml
index c58d58dc..aa5e94b2 100644
--- a/third-party-dependencies/pom.xml
+++ b/third-party-dependencies/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
   <artifactId>third-party-dependencies</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
-  <version>2.2.0</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
+  <version>2.2.1</version><!-- {x-version-update:google-cloud-shared-dependencies:current} -->
   <name>Google Cloud Third-party Shared Dependencies</name>
   <url>https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-dependencies</url>
   <description>
diff --git a/versions.txt b/versions.txt
index af744a4b..32ee2d1b 100644
--- a/versions.txt
+++ b/versions.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # Format:
 # module:released-version:current-version
 
-google-cloud-shared-dependencies:2.2.0:2.2.0
\ No newline at end of file
+google-cloud-shared-dependencies:2.2.1:2.2.1
\ No newline at end of file