diff --git a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
index 2df06f2ba..e3c9962f3 100644
--- a/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/install-without-bom/pom.xml
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     <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 af148be85..e8e3be184 100644
--- a/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snapshot/pom.xml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     <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 8a53f1cba..ad96cc507 100644
--- a/samples/snippets/pom.xml
+++ b/samples/snippets/pom.xml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
     <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>