diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 9e088630f7..caecc737f3 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,64 +1,3 @@
-# Synapse 1.96.0rc1 (2023-10-31)
-
-### Features
-
-- Allow multiple workers to write to receipts stream. ([\#16432](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16432))
-- Add a new module API for controller presence. ([\#16544](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16544))
-- Add a new module API callback that allows adding extra fields to events' unsigned section when sent down to clients. ([\#16549](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16549))
-- Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys. ([\#16565](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16565), [\#16570](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16570))
-
-### Bugfixes
-
-- Fixed a bug that prevents Grafana from finding the correct datasource. Contributed by @MichaelSasser. ([\#16471](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16471))
-- Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`. ([\#16473](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16473), [\#16557](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16557), [\#16561](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16561), [\#16578](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16578), [\#16580](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16580))
-- Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` incorrectly did not mark a room as `limited` in a sync requests when there were missing remote events. ([\#16485](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16485))
-- Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.41 where HTTP(S) forward proxy authorization would fail when using basic HTTP authentication with a long `username:password` string. ([\#16504](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16504))
-- Force TLS certificate verification in user registration script. ([\#16530](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16530))
-- Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` could tightloop after restart when using SQLite. ([\#16540](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16540))
-- Fix ratelimiting of message sending when using workers, where the ratelimit would only be applied after most of the work has been done. ([\#16558](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16558))
-- Fix a long-standing bug where invited/knocking users would not leave during a room purge. ([\#16559](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16559))
-
-### Improved Documentation
-
-- Improve documentation of presence router. ([\#16529](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16529))
-- Add a sentence to the opentracing docs on how you can have jaeger in a different place than synapse. ([\#16531](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16531))
-- Correctly describe the meaning of unspecified rule lists in the [`alias_creation_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#alias_creation_rules) and [`room_list_publication_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#room_list_publication_rules) config options and improve their descriptions more generally. ([\#16541](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16541))
-- Pin the recommended poetry version in contributors' guide. ([\#16550](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16550))
-- Fix a broken link to the [client breakdown](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/clients/) in the README. ([\#16569](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16569))
-
-### Internal Changes
-
-- Improve performance of delete device messages query, cf issue [16479](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16479). ([\#16492](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16492))
-- Reduce memory allocations. ([\#16505](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16505))
-- Improve replication performance when purging rooms. ([\#16510](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16510))
-- Run tests against Python 3.12. ([\#16511](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16511))
-- Run trial & integration tests in continuous integration when `.ci` directory is modified. ([\#16512](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16512))
-- Remove duplicate call to mark remote server 'awake' when using a federation sending worker. ([\#16515](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16515))
-- Enable dirty runs on Complement CI, which is significantly faster. ([\#16520](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16520))
-- Stop deleting from an unused table. ([\#16521](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16521))
-- Improve type hints. ([\#16526](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16526), [\#16551](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16551))
-- Fix running unit tests on Twisted trunk. ([\#16528](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16528))
-- Bump matrix-synapse-ldap3 from 0.2.2 to 0.3.0. ([\#16539](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16539))
-- Reduce some spurious logging in worker mode. ([\#16555](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16555))
-- Stop porting a table in port db that we're going to nuke and rebuild anyway. ([\#16563](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16563))
-- Deal with warnings from running complement in CI. ([\#16567](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16567))
-- Allow building with `setuptools_rust` 1.8.0. ([\#16574](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16574))
-
-### Updates to locked dependencies
-
-* Bump black from 23.10.0 to 23.10.1. ([\#16575](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16575))
-* Bump black from 23.9.1 to 23.10.0. ([\#16538](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16538))
-* Bump cryptography from 41.0.4 to 41.0.5. ([\#16572](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16572))
-* Bump gitpython from 3.1.37 to 3.1.40. ([\#16534](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16534))
-* Bump phonenumbers from 8.13.22 to 8.13.23. ([\#16576](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16576))
-* Bump pygithub from 1.59.1 to 2.1.1. ([\#16535](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16535))
-* Bump serde from 1.0.189 to 1.0.190. ([\#16577](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16577))
-* Bump setuptools-rust from 1.7.0 to 1.8.0. ([\#16574](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16574))
-* Bump types-pillow from 10.0.0.3 to 10.1.0.0. ([\#16536](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16536))
-* Bump types-psycopg2 from 2.9.21.14 to 2.9.21.15. ([\#16573](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16573))
-* Bump types-requests from 2.31.0.2 to 2.31.0.10. ([\#16537](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16537))
-* Bump urllib3 from 1.26.17 to 1.26.18. ([\#16516](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16516))
-
 # Synapse 1.95.0 (2023-10-24)
 
 ### Internal Changes
diff --git a/changelog.d/16432.feature b/changelog.d/16432.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9a76e85592
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16432.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allow multiple workers to write to receipts stream.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16471.bugfix b/changelog.d/16471.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c94cd5b78f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16471.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed a bug that prevents Grafana from finding the correct datasource. Contributed by @MichaelSasser.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16473.bugfix b/changelog.d/16473.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4a0380cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16473.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16485.bugfix b/changelog.d/16485.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cd7e1877f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16485.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` incorrectly did not mark a room as `limited` in a sync requests when there were missing remote events.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16492.misc b/changelog.d/16492.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ecb3356bdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16492.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve performance of delete device messages query, cf issue [16479](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16479).
diff --git a/changelog.d/16504.bugfix b/changelog.d/16504.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60839c474b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16504.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.41 where HTTP(S) forward proxy authorization would fail when using basic HTTP authentication with a long `username:password` string.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16505.misc b/changelog.d/16505.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bd7cdd42af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16505.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Reduce memory allocations.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16510.misc b/changelog.d/16510.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5556b5d74c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16510.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve replication performance when purging rooms.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16511.misc b/changelog.d/16511.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b7d9ee5b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16511.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Run tests against Python 3.12.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16512.misc b/changelog.d/16512.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dcc53510c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16512.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Run trial & integration tests in continuous integration when `.ci` directory is modified.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16515.misc b/changelog.d/16515.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d54dd730e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16515.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove duplicate call to mark remote server 'awake' when using a federation sending worker.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16520.misc b/changelog.d/16520.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ea10fd4345
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16520.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Enable dirty runs on Complement CI, which is significantly faster.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16521.misc b/changelog.d/16521.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c6a8ddcf9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16521.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Stop deleting from an unused table.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16526.misc b/changelog.d/16526.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93ceaeafc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16526.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve type hints.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16528.misc b/changelog.d/16528.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32954ea675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16528.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix running unit tests on Twisted trunk.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16529.doc b/changelog.d/16529.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0f8a87f293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16529.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve documentation of presence router.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16530.bugfix b/changelog.d/16530.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..503ea0af20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16530.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Force TLS certificate verification in user registration script.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16531.doc b/changelog.d/16531.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0932d1abf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16531.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add a sentence to the opentracing docs on how you can have jaeger in a different place than synapse.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16539.misc b/changelog.d/16539.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cd21bdb26d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16539.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Bump matrix-synapse-ldap3 from 0.2.2 to 0.3.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16540.bugfix b/changelog.d/16540.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..34ee9facf9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16540.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` could tightloop after restart when using SQLite.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16541.doc b/changelog.d/16541.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39aeecada6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16541.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Correctly describe the meaning of unspecified rule lists in the [`alias_creation_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#alias_creation_rules) and [`room_list_publication_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#room_list_publication_rules) config options and improve their descriptions more generally.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16544.feature b/changelog.d/16544.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92bf701be6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16544.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add a new module API for controller presence.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16549.feature b/changelog.d/16549.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..51129200f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16549.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add a new module API callback that allows adding extra fields to events' unsigned section when sent down to clients.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16550.doc b/changelog.d/16550.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..77ba422a06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16550.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Pin the recommended poetry version in contributors' guide.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16551.misc b/changelog.d/16551.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93ceaeafc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16551.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve type hints.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16555.misc b/changelog.d/16555.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d02efb2114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16555.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Reduce some spurious logging in worker mode.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16557.bugfix b/changelog.d/16557.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4a0380cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16557.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16558.bugfix b/changelog.d/16558.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64f419fd82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16558.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix ratelimiting of message sending when using workers, where the ratelimit would only be applied after most of the work has been done.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16559.bugfix b/changelog.d/16559.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e0fb16f807
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16559.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing bug where invited/knocking users would not leave during a room purge.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16561.bugfix b/changelog.d/16561.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4a0380cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16561.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16563.misc b/changelog.d/16563.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e433659e8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16563.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Stop porting a table in port db that we're going to nuke and rebuild anyway.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16565.feature b/changelog.d/16565.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c807945fa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16565.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16567.misc b/changelog.d/16567.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..858fbac7f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16567.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Deal with warnings from running complement in CI.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16569.doc b/changelog.d/16569.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b2a439d30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16569.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a broken link to the [client breakdown](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/clients/) in the README.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16570.feature b/changelog.d/16570.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c807945fa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16570.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16574.misc b/changelog.d/16574.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fae0f00fb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16574.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allow building with `setuptools_rust` 1.8.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16578.bugfix b/changelog.d/16578.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4a0380cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16578.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16580.bugfix b/changelog.d/16580.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4a0380cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/16580.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index a77824e89a..9bd5490ede 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,9 +1,3 @@
-matrix-synapse-py3 (1.96.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
-
-  * New Synapse release 1.96.0rc1.
-
- -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:47:01 +0000
-
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.95.0) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New Synapse release 1.95.0.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 23e0004395..5b9f9fbde0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module-name = "synapse.synapse_rust"
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "matrix-synapse"
-version = "1.96.0rc1"
+version = "1.95.0"
 description = "Homeserver for the Matrix decentralised comms protocol"
 authors = ["Matrix.org Team and Contributors <packages@matrix.org>"]
 license = "Apache-2.0"