diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 12a74d754..4fe2fe843 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.0.39
+0.0.40
diff --git a/deploy/helm/mecak8s/Chart.yaml b/deploy/helm/mecak8s/Chart.yaml
index 1110145d3..d8311589e 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/mecak8s/Chart.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/mecak8s/Chart.yaml
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@ apiVersion: v2
 name: mecak8s
 description: Storage-free mecak8s agent backed by externally managed Redis and Kubernetes Leases.
 type: application
-version: 0.0.39
-appVersion: "v0.0.39"
+version: 0.0.40
+appVersion: "v0.0.40"
diff --git a/deploy/helm/mecak8s/values.yaml b/deploy/helm/mecak8s/values.yaml
index 9b370513a..e0512197e 100644
--- a/deploy/helm/mecak8s/values.yaml
+++ b/deploy/helm/mecak8s/values.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ image:
   # Release PRs keep this signed tag aligned with Chart.yaml. A digest overrides
   # it; clearing both selectors falls back to v<chart-version>.
   digest: ""
-  tag: "v0.0.39"
+  tag: "v0.0.40"
   pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 
 # imagePullSecrets projects Secret(s) of type kubernetes.io/dockerconfigjson