diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5d1b42a0e..4bc8809d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [2.21.3](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy/compare/v2.21.2...v2.21.3) (2026-04-02)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* use specific config file for loading ([#2573](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy/issues/2573)) ([#2580](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy/issues/2580)) ([f951767](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy/commit/f9517675a3d470fb5b2c90e9d4df6c2a930a6b3f))
+
 ## [2.21.2](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-sql-proxy/compare/v2.21.1...v2.21.2) (2026-03-18)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 64f3b4c98..68fb05163 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ following instructions for your OS and CPU architecture.
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.linux.amd64" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.linux.386" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.linux.arm64" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.linux.arm" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.darwin.amd64" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2"
+URL="https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3"
 
 curl "$URL/cloud-sql-proxy.darwin.arm64" -o cloud-sql-proxy
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ chmod +x cloud-sql-proxy
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-curl https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2/cloud-sql-proxy.x64.exe -o cloud-sql-proxy.exe
+curl https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3/cloud-sql-proxy.x64.exe -o cloud-sql-proxy.exe
 ```
 
 </details>
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ curl https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2
 
 ```sh
 # see Releases for other versions
-curl https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2/cloud-sql-proxy.x86.exe -o cloud-sql-proxy.exe
+curl https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3/cloud-sql-proxy.x86.exe -o cloud-sql-proxy.exe
 ```
 
 </details>
@@ -597,13 +597,13 @@ currently supported:
 
 <!-- {x-release-please-start-version} -->
 The `$VERSION` is the Proxy version without the leading "v" (e.g.,
-`2.21.2`).
+`2.21.3`).
 
 For example, to pull a particular version, use a command like:
 
 ``` shell
-# $VERSION is 2.21.2
-docker pull gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.2
+# $VERSION is 2.21.3
+docker pull gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.3
 ```
 
 <!-- {x-release-please-end} -->
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 319ab675a..592efcea5 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ Third Party Licenses
   To view all licenses for third party dependencies used within this
   distribution please see:
 
-  https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.2/third_party/licenses.tar.gz {x-release-please-version}
+  https://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy/v2.21.3/third_party/licenses.tar.gz {x-release-please-version}
 `
 
 var waitHelp = `
diff --git a/cmd/version.txt b/cmd/version.txt
index 8392a795a..e6cb6a1ae 100644
--- a/cmd/version.txt
+++ b/cmd/version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.21.2
+2.21.3
diff --git a/examples/k8s-health-check/README.md b/examples/k8s-health-check/README.md
index 11c6769df..d644cc852 100644
--- a/examples/k8s-health-check/README.md
+++ b/examples/k8s-health-check/README.md
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ for more than 1 minute.
     initContainers:
     - name: cloud-sql-proxy
       restartPolicy: Always
-      image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.2
+      image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.3
       args:
         # Set the --max-connections flag to 50
         - "--max-connections"
diff --git a/examples/k8s-service/README.md b/examples/k8s-service/README.md
index eeb149c98..53c356439 100644
--- a/examples/k8s-service/README.md
+++ b/examples/k8s-service/README.md
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ For the PgBouncer deployment, we add the proxy as a sidecar, starting it on port
 initContainers:
 - name: cloud-sql-proxy
   restartPolicy: Always
-  image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.2  # make sure to use the latest version
+  image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.3  # make sure to use the latest version
   args:
     # Replace DB_PORT with the port the proxy should listen on
     - "--port=<DB_PORT>"
diff --git a/examples/k8s-sidecar/README.md b/examples/k8s-sidecar/README.md
index 7ffdc9388..68c2587b1 100644
--- a/examples/k8s-sidecar/README.md
+++ b/examples/k8s-sidecar/README.md
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ as a separate service for several reasons:
       restartPolicy: Always
       # It is recommended to use the latest version of the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy
       # Make sure to update on a regular schedule!
-      image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.2  # make sure to use the latest version
+      image: gcr.io/cloud-sql-connectors/cloud-sql-proxy:2.21.3  # make sure to use the latest version
       args:
         # If connecting from a VPC-native GKE cluster, you can use the
         # following flag to have the proxy connect over private IP