diff --git a/CHANGES.markdown b/CHANGES.markdown
--- a/CHANGES.markdown
+++ b/CHANGES.markdown
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+## Changes in 2.8.1
+  - Take the environment variable `NO_COLOR` into account
+
 ## Changes in 2.8.0
   - Add `--times` to print times for individual spec items
   - Add `--print-slow-items`
diff --git a/hspec.cabal b/hspec.cabal
--- a/hspec.cabal
+++ b/hspec.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:             hspec
-version:          2.8.0
+version:          2.8.1
 license:          MIT
 license-file:     LICENSE
 copyright:        (c) 2011-2021 Simon Hengel,
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@
   build-depends:
       QuickCheck >=2.12
     , base ==4.*
-    , hspec-core ==2.8.0
-    , hspec-discover ==2.8.0
+    , hspec-core ==2.8.1
+    , hspec-discover ==2.8.1
     , hspec-expectations ==0.8.2.*
   exposed-modules:
       Test.Hspec
diff --git a/version.yaml b/version.yaml
--- a/version.yaml
+++ b/version.yaml
@@ -1,1 +1,1 @@
-&version 2.8.0
+&version 2.8.1