diff --git a/ion/pom.xml b/ion/pom.xml
index 3540f0ee5..7742bdac8 100644
--- a/ion/pom.xml
+++ b/ion/pom.xml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ tree model)
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.amazon.ion</groupId>
       <artifactId>ion-java</artifactId>
-      <version>1.11.7</version>
+      <version>1.11.8</version>
     </dependency>
 
     <!-- Extends Jackson core, databind -->
diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION-2.x b/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
index 0644e5546..dec736c09 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION-2.x
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Active maintainers:
 
 #497: (ion) Failed copy(): `IonValueMapper` does not override copy()
  (reported by @mr-robert)
+#501: (ion) Upgrade `ion-java` to 1.11.8 (from 1.11.7)
 
 2.17.1 (04-May-2024)