diff --git a/bal/__init__.py b/bal/__init__.py
index 9df8696..1576d15 100644
--- a/bal/__init__.py
+++ b/bal/__init__.py
@@ -36,4 +36,7 @@ The plugin supports Electrum 4.7.2 and 4.8.0 with PyQt6.  Electrum 4.8.0 removed
 available and adapts, so both releases keep working.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.5.18"
+# The plugin version is NOT defined here. It lives only in ``bal/manifest.json``
+# (the single source of truth) and is read at runtime via ``get_version()`` in
+# ``bal/core/plugin_base.py`` (exposed as the ``BalPlugin.version`` property).
+# Keeping a hardcoded ``__version__`` here would just be a stale duplicate.
diff --git a/bal/manifest.json b/bal/manifest.json
index 4ea97d9..0193afc 100644
--- a/bal/manifest.json
+++ b/bal/manifest.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
     "name": "bal",
     "fullname": "Bitcoin After Life",
-    "version": "0.5.18",
+    "version": "0.6.1",
     "description": "Provides free and decentralized Bitcoin inheritance support. Build time-locked 'will' transactions that transfer funds to your heirs if you stop refreshing them (dead-man's switch), optionally relayed by will-executor servers.",
     "author": "Svatantrya",
     "licence": "MIT",