diff --git a/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md b/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
index 4de85d0173f8..cae0fb533129 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 8.1.0-alpha.1
+
+- Maintenance: Fix performance regressions  - [#26411](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/26411), thanks @kasperpeulen!
+
 ## 8.1.0-alpha.0
 
 
diff --git a/code/package.json b/code/package.json
index ea712e8d698a..716d1a846a47 100644
--- a/code/package.json
+++ b/code/package.json
@@ -295,5 +295,6 @@
         "Dependency Upgrades"
       ]
     ]
-  }
+  },
+  "deferredNextVersion": "8.1.0-alpha.1"
 }
diff --git a/docs/versions/next.json b/docs/versions/next.json
index 886c30ce74ce..5e0704023df8 100644
--- a/docs/versions/next.json
+++ b/docs/versions/next.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"version":"8.1.0-alpha.0","info":{"plain":""}}
+{"version":"8.1.0-alpha.1","info":{"plain":"- Maintenance: Fix performance regressions  - [#26411](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/26411), thanks @kasperpeulen!"}}