diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.7.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.7.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59667d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes/1.7.9.7.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Git v1.7.9.7 Release Notes
+==========================
+
+Fixes since v1.7.9.6
+--------------------
+
+ * An error message from 'git bundle' had an unmatched single quote pair in it.
+
+ * The way 'git fetch' implemented its connectivity check over
+   received objects was overly pessimistic, and wasted a lot of
+   cycles.
+
+Also contains minor fixes and documentation updates.
diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
index f28a176..8f31675 100644
--- a/Documentation/git.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git.txt
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@
 branch of the `git.git` repository.
 Documentation for older releases are available here:
 
-* link:v1.7.9.6/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.9.6]
+* link:v1.7.9.7/git.html[documentation for release 1.7.9.7]
 
 * release notes for
+  link:RelNotes/1.7.9.7.txt[1.7.9.7],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.6.txt[1.7.9.6],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.5.txt[1.7.9.5],
   link:RelNotes/1.7.9.4.txt[1.7.9.4],
diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
index ba8c503..5b54635 100755
--- a/GIT-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 GVF=GIT-VERSION-FILE
-DEF_VER=v1.7.9.6
+DEF_VER=v1.7.9.7
 
 LF='
 '