diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index c367bcee6d..a1bea37649 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Verify manifests have requested KIC tag
         if: ${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.prerelease == '' }}
         env:
-          TAG: ${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.fullversion }}
+          # We expect the tag used in manifests to be {major}.{minor} part of the version, e.g.
+          # for v2.10.3 we expect manifests to use 2.10 tag.
+          TAG: ${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.major }}.${{ steps.semver_parser.outputs.minor }}
         run: make verify.versions
 
   build-push-images:
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6f588cc5c8..16800a0644 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ Adding a new version? You'll need three changes:
 
 ## [2.9.4]
 
-> Release date: TBD
+> Release date: 2023-07-13
 
 - Fixed leader election role manifest where `""` and `"coordination"` API groups
   together with the related manifest resources (`configmaps` and `leases`) might
diff --git a/config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml b/config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml
index aca02f2e43..2357eb5885 100644
--- a/config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/config/image/oss/kustomization.yaml
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ images:
   newTag: '3.2'
 - name: kic-placeholder
   newName: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller
-  newTag: '2.9.3'
+  newTag: '2.9'
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-k4k8s-enterprise.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-k4k8s-enterprise.yaml
index fe12464ad0..3e2d708bca 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-k4k8s-enterprise.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-k4k8s-enterprise.yaml
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ spec:
             fieldRef:
               apiVersion: v1
               fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-konnect.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-konnect.yaml
index 2a2c02cb18..ddd2739e7f 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-konnect.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-konnect.yaml
@@ -1706,7 +1706,7 @@ spec:
         envFrom:
         - configMapRef:
             name: konnect-config
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-legacy.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-legacy.yaml
index 17ef9e52cd..d509df1307 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-legacy.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless-legacy.yaml
@@ -1739,7 +1739,7 @@ spec:
             fieldRef:
               apiVersion: v1
               fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless.yaml
index c5d2de56f2..527e575586 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-dbless.yaml
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ spec:
             fieldRef:
               apiVersion: v1
               fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres-enterprise.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres-enterprise.yaml
index b76cd0fd1b..28369c37f6 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres-enterprise.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres-enterprise.yaml
@@ -1813,7 +1813,7 @@ spec:
             fieldRef:
               apiVersion: v1
               fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3
diff --git a/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres.yaml b/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres.yaml
index 48c186d9d5..b50e037f75 100644
--- a/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres.yaml
+++ b/deploy/single/all-in-one-postgres.yaml
@@ -1757,7 +1757,7 @@ spec:
             fieldRef:
               apiVersion: v1
               fieldPath: metadata.namespace
-        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9.3
+        image: kong/kubernetes-ingress-controller:2.9
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         livenessProbe:
           failureThreshold: 3