diff --git a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
index 4d1d417c7..e61e5fdc5 100644
--- a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-core</artifactId>
-      <version>2.8.0</version>
+      <version>2.8.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
       <classifier>tests</classifier>
     </dependency>
diff --git a/samples/snapshot/pom.xml b/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
index a96e39e97..04c790573 100644
--- a/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-core</artifactId>
-      <version>2.8.0</version>
+      <version>2.8.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
       <classifier>tests</classifier>
     </dependency>
diff --git a/samples/snippets/pom.xml b/samples/snippets/pom.xml
index 58a8a8531..6c98c2101 100644
--- a/samples/snippets/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snippets/pom.xml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
       <artifactId>google-cloud-core</artifactId>
-      <version>2.8.0</version>
+      <version>2.8.1</version>
       <scope>test</scope>
       <classifier>tests</classifier>
     </dependency>