diff --git a/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts b/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
index 67a675c92..fddf2c203 100644
--- a/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
+++ b/src/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
@@ -250,6 +250,15 @@ export class PHPYoshi extends BaseStrategy {
       }),
     });
 
+    // update VERSION file
+    updates.push({
+      path: this.addPath('VERSION'),
+      createIfMissing: false,
+      updater: new DefaultUpdater({
+        version,
+      }),
+    });
+
     // update the aggregate package information in the root composer.json
     updates.push({
       path: this.addPath('composer.json'),
diff --git a/test/strategies/php-yoshi.ts b/test/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
index a494fe187..df01cdfbf 100644
--- a/test/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
+++ b/test/strategies/php-yoshi.ts
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ describe('PHPYoshi', () => {
       const updates = release!.updates;
       assertHasUpdate(updates, 'CHANGELOG.md', Changelog);
       assertHasUpdate(updates, 'composer.json', RootComposerUpdatePackages);
+      assertHasUpdate(updates, 'VERSION', DefaultUpdater);
     });
     it('finds touched components', async () => {
       const strategy = new PHPYoshi({