diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1a022c294..7e7a3cd13 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ If you are using Maven, add this to your pom.xml file:
 If you are using Gradle without BOM, add this to your dependencies:
 
 ```Groovy
-implementation 'com.google.cloud:google-cloud-pubsublite:1.12.15'
+implementation 'com.google.cloud:google-cloud-pubsublite:1.12.16'
 ```
 
 If you are using SBT, add this to your dependencies:
 
 ```Scala
-libraryDependencies += "com.google.cloud" % "google-cloud-pubsublite" % "1.12.15"
+libraryDependencies += "com.google.cloud" % "google-cloud-pubsublite" % "1.12.16"
 ```
 <!-- {x-version-update-end} -->
 
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
 [kokoro-badge-link-5]: http://storage.googleapis.com/cloud-devrel-public/java/badges/java-pubsublite/java11.html
 [stability-image]: https://img.shields.io/badge/stability-stable-green
 [maven-version-image]: https://img.shields.io/maven-central/v/com.google.cloud/google-cloud-pubsublite.svg
-[maven-version-link]: https://central.sonatype.com/artifact/com.google.cloud/google-cloud-pubsublite/1.12.15
+[maven-version-link]: https://central.sonatype.com/artifact/com.google.cloud/google-cloud-pubsublite/1.12.16
 [authentication]: https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-java#authentication
 [auth-scopes]: https://developers.google.com/identity/protocols/oauth2/scopes
 [predefined-iam-roles]: https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/understanding-roles#predefined_roles
diff --git a/google-cloud-pubsublite/pom.xml b/google-cloud-pubsublite/pom.xml
index d23c1e57d..12ca582bf 100644
--- a/google-cloud-pubsublite/pom.xml
+++ b/google-cloud-pubsublite/pom.xml
@@ -18,14 +18,6 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
       <artifactId>protobuf-java-util</artifactId>
-      <!--   Temp exclusion. Remove next protobuf upgrade (to 3.23.3 or higher)
-   context: https://github.com/googleapis/sdk-platform-java/pull/1791#issuecomment-1601587713-->
-      <exclusions>
-        <exclusion>
-          <groupId>com.google.j2objc</groupId>
-          <artifactId>j2objc-annotations</artifactId>
-        </exclusion>
-      </exclusions>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>io.grpc</groupId>