diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b48b47a..c399679 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+v0.4.1 (2015-01-08)
+  * Important usability fix to ensure that the .git-crypt directory
+    can't be encrypted by accident (see RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md for
+    more information).
+
 v0.4 (2014-11-16)
   (See RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.md for important details.)
   * Add optional GPG support: GPG can be used to share the repository
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 1746721..ab1de35 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 News
 ====
 
+######v0.4.1 (2015-01-08)
+* Important usability fix to ensure that the .git-crypt directory
+  can't be encrypted by accident (see
+  [the release notes](RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md) for more information).
+
 ######v0.4 (2014-11-16)
 (See [the release notes](RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.md) for important details.)
 *   Add optional GPG support: GPG can be used to share the repository
diff --git a/README b/README
index 0bbf99a..0f10d7c 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ encryption and decryption happen transparently.
 
 CURRENT STATUS
 
-The latest version of git-crypt is 0.4, released on 2014-11-16.
+The latest version of git-crypt is 0.4.1, released on 2015-01-08.
 git-crypt aims to be bug-free and reliable, meaning it shouldn't
 crash, malfunction, or expose your confidential data.  However,
 it has not yet reached maturity, meaning it is not as documented,
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 965d1c4..ac59e9d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ encryption and decryption happen transparently.
 Current Status
 --------------
 
-The latest version of git-crypt is [0.4](RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.md), released on
-2014-11-16.  git-crypt aims to be bug-free and reliable, meaning it
+The latest version of git-crypt is [0.4.1](RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md), released on
+2015-01-08.  git-crypt aims to be bug-free and reliable, meaning it
 shouldn't crash, malfunction, or expose your confidential data.
 However, it has not yet reached maturity, meaning it is not as
 documented, featureful, or easy-to-use as it should be.  Additionally,
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md b/RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec64dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES-0.4.1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+git-crypt 0.4.1 is a bugfix-only release that contains an important
+usability fix for users who use GPG mode to encrypt an entire repository.
+
+Previously, if you used a '*' pattern in the top-level .gitattributes
+file, and you did not explicitly add a pattern to exclude the .git-crypt
+directory, the files contained therein would be encrypted, rendering
+the repository impossible to unlock with GPG.
+
+git-crypt now adds a .gitattributes file to the .git-crypt directory
+to prevent its contents from being encrypted, regardless of patterns in
+the top-level .gitattributes.
+
+If you are using git-crypt in GPG mode to encrypt an entire repository,
+and you do not already have a .gitattributes pattern to exclude the
+.git-crypt directory, you are strongly advised to upgrade.  After
+upgrading, you should do the following in each of your repositories to
+ensure that the information inside .git-crypt is properly stored:
+
+1. Remove existing key files: `rm .git-crypt/keys/*/0/*`
+
+2. Re-add GPG user(s): `git-crypt add-gpg-user GPG_USER_ID ...`
diff --git a/git-crypt.hpp b/git-crypt.hpp
index 6df62d8..c298559 100644
--- a/git-crypt.hpp
+++ b/git-crypt.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #ifndef GIT_CRYPT_GIT_CRYPT_HPP
 #define GIT_CRYPT_GIT_CRYPT_HPP
 
-#define VERSION "0.4.0"
+#define VERSION "0.4.1"
 
 extern const char*	argv0;	// initialized in main() to argv[0]