diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 6d9631e..e7c52fe 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "astvcs"
-version = "0.1.5"
+version = "0.1.6"
 dependencies = [
  "base64 0.23.1",
  "clap",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 87ea321..702d01c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "astvcs"
-version = "0.1.5"
+version = "0.1.6"
 edition = "2024"
 license = "MIT"
 
diff --git a/docs/RELEASE.md b/docs/RELEASE.md
index c2bedb6..28a2d87 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Copy this outline when drafting a GitHub Release for a new tag. Project overview
 
 ## Version
 
-`v0.1.5` (matches `Cargo.toml` `version` and `astvcs --version`)
+`v0.1.6` (matches `Cargo.toml` `version` and `astvcs --version`)
 
 ## Requirements
 
@@ -22,10 +22,17 @@ Download the platform archive from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/Cod-e-Co
 
 Each archive contains three binaries: `astvcs`, `astvcs-merge-driver`, and `astvcs-diff-driver` (`.exe` on Windows). The `v0.1.0` archives shipped only the main `astvcs` binary.
 
-Verify: `astvcs --version` should print `0.1.5`.
+Verify: `astvcs --version` should print `0.1.6`.
 
 ## Changelog
 
+### v0.1.6
+
+- Add Dependabot for Cargo and GitHub Actions (grouped tree-sitter, cargo-dev, and Actions updates)
+- Bump direct crates: clap, base64, ignore, similar, regex, serde, serde_json, tree-sitter
+- Bump GitHub Actions used by CI and release workflows
+- Serialize identity tests that touch `ASTVCS_AUTHOR_*` so parallel cargo test no longer races env overrides into repo-local identity checks
+
 ### v0.1.5
 
 - Fix wide-list alignment: uniquely pair content-addressed NodeIds before structural LCS so several empty-payload Function siblings plus an EOF append no longer invent false overlaps
diff --git a/src/store/identity.rs b/src/store/identity.rs
index ba438f2..c8e8337 100644
--- a/src/store/identity.rs
+++ b/src/store/identity.rs
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn repo_local_identity_roundtrip() {
+        let _guard = IDENTITY_TEST_LOCK.lock().unwrap();
+        let _env = AuthorEnvGuard::clear();
         let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
         let repo = Repo::init(dir.path()).unwrap();
         setup_identity(&repo);
@@ -230,19 +232,16 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn env_overrides_repo_config() {
         let _guard = IDENTITY_TEST_LOCK.lock().unwrap();
+        let _env = AuthorEnvGuard::set([
+            ("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_NAME", "Env User"),
+            ("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_EMAIL", "env@example.com"),
+        ]);
         let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
         let repo = Repo::init(dir.path()).unwrap();
         setup_identity(&repo);
-        unsafe {
-            std::env::set_var("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_NAME", "Env User");
-            std::env::set_var("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_EMAIL", "env@example.com");
-        }
         let id = resolve_author_identity(&repo).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(id.name, "Env User");
-        unsafe {
-            std::env::remove_var("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_NAME");
-            std::env::remove_var("ASTVCS_AUTHOR_EMAIL");
-        }
+        assert_eq!(id.email, "env@example.com");
     }
 
     #[test]