diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 271e2271fb..59ff967633 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+Synapse 1.44.0rc2 (2021-09-30)
+==============================
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix a bug introduced in v1.44.0rc1 which caused the experimental [MSC2716](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2716) `/batch_send` endpoint to return a 500 error. ([\#10938](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10938))
+- Fix a bug introduced in v1.44.0rc1 which prevented sending presence events to application services. ([\#10944](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10944))
+
+
+Improved Documentation
+----------------------
+
+- Minor updates to the installation instructions. ([\#10919](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/10919))
+
+
 Synapse 1.44.0rc1 (2021-09-29)
 ==============================
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/10919.doc b/changelog.d/10919.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index d0bddc3f1b..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/10919.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Minor updates to the installation instructions.
diff --git a/changelog.d/10938.bugfix b/changelog.d/10938.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 9cf0ea8788..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/10938.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix bug introduced in Synapse 1.44 which caused the experimental [MSC2716](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/pull/2716) `/batch_send` endpoint to return a 500 error.
diff --git a/changelog.d/10944.bugfix b/changelog.d/10944.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 49baff7df1..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/10944.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a bug introduced in v1.44.0rc1 which prevented sending presence events to application services.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 191bb97c5e..b08a592780 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0~rc2) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New synapse release 1.44.0~rc2.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Thu, 30 Sep 2021 12:39:10 +0100
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.44.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.44.0~rc1.
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index a1fec8ad2b..8791c20e26 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     pass
 
-__version__ = "1.44.0rc1"
+__version__ = "1.44.0rc2"
 
 if bool(os.environ.get("SYNAPSE_TEST_PATCH_LOG_CONTEXTS", False)):
     # We import here so that we don't have to install a bunch of deps when