diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f1649934..4348b96b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Splunk Enterprise SDK for Java Changelog
 
+## Version 1.9.4
+
+### Minor Changes
+* Added check for localhost IPv6 address, for IPv6 compatible apps (GitHub PR [#210](https://github.com/splunk/splunk-sdk-java/pull/210))
+* Updating SSL_SOCKET_FACTORY instance on changing _validateCertificates_ flag.  (GitHub PR [#206](https://github.com/splunk/splunk-sdk-java/pull/210))
+
 ## Version 1.9.3
 
 ### Minor Changes
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 06883597..9c9b2bc9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [![Java SDK Test](https://github.com/splunk/splunk-sdk-java/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg?branch=master)](https://github.com/splunk/splunk-sdk-java/actions/workflows/test.yml)
 # The Splunk Software Development Kit for Java
 
-#### Version 1.9.3
+#### Version 1.9.4
 
 The Splunk Software Development Kit (SDK) for Java contains library code and
 examples designed to enable developers to build applications using Splunk.
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ To add the Splunk SDK for Java `.JAR` file as a dependency:
   <dependency>
     <groupId>com.splunk</groupId>
     <artifactId>splunk</artifactId>
-    <version>1.9.3</version>
+    <version>1.9.4</version>
   </dependency>
 </dependencies>
 ```
diff --git a/deploy b/deploy
index 3e42a2fd..8e224780 100755
--- a/deploy
+++ b/deploy
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 declare -r scriptDirectory="$(dirname $(readlink -e $0))"
 declare -r scriptName="$(basename $0)"
-declare -r version="1.9.3"
+declare -r version="1.9.4"
 
 if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
     echo 1>&2 "Usage: ${scriptName} {local|staging||production}"
diff --git a/deploy.md b/deploy.md
index c43e6e41..1c7d3a2a 100644
--- a/deploy.md
+++ b/deploy.md
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ deploy \<repository-name>
 
 ##DESCRIPTION
 
-Deploy transmits **target/splunk-1.9.3.jar**, **target/splunk-1.9.3-javadoc.jar**, and
-**target/splunk-1.9.3-sources.jar** to the **local**, **staging**, or **production**
+Deploy transmits **target/splunk-1.9.4.jar**, **target/splunk-1.9.4-javadoc.jar**, and
+**target/splunk-1.9.4-sources.jar** to the **local**, **staging**, or **production**
 maven repository. Repository names are mapped to locations as follows.
 
 | repository-name | location                                                       |
@@ -21,18 +21,18 @@ maven repository. Repository names are mapped to locations as follows.
 
 After deployment you should find this tree structure at the location of your repository
 
-    com/splunk/splunk/1.9.3/
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-javadoc.jar
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-javadoc.jar.md5
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-javadoc.jar.sha1
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-sources.jar
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-sources.jar.md5
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3-sources.jar.sha1
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3.jar
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3.jar.md5
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3.jar.sha1
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3.pom
-    ├── splunk-1.9.3.pom.md5
-    └── splunk-1.9.3.pom.sha1
+    com/splunk/splunk/1.9.4/
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-javadoc.jar
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-javadoc.jar.md5
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-javadoc.jar.sha1
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-sources.jar
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-sources.jar.md5
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4-sources.jar.sha1
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4.jar
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4.jar.md5
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4.jar.sha1
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4.pom
+    ├── splunk-1.9.4.pom.md5
+    └── splunk-1.9.4.pom.sha1
 
 Verify this structure prior to release.
diff --git a/examples/pom.xml b/examples/pom.xml
index 03e16d1c..9c5eaa01 100644
--- a/examples/pom.xml
+++ b/examples/pom.xml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
         <dependency>
             <groupId>com.splunk</groupId>
             <artifactId>splunk</artifactId>
-            <version>1.9.3</version>
+            <version>1.9.4</version>
             <scope>provided</scope>
         </dependency>
         <dependency>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 9f1ac2f3..920736a6 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
     <properties>
-        <version.number>1.9.3</version.number>
+        <version.number>1.9.4</version.number>
         <maven.resources.overwrite>true</maven.resources.overwrite>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
         <maven.compiler.source>8</maven.compiler.source>
diff --git a/splunk/pom.xml b/splunk/pom.xml
index 62823326..9b61229a 100644
--- a/splunk/pom.xml
+++ b/splunk/pom.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
 
     <artifactId>splunk</artifactId>
-    <version>1.9.3</version>
+    <version>1.9.4</version>
     <parent>
         <artifactId>splunk-sdk-java</artifactId>
         <groupId>com.splunk</groupId>
diff --git a/splunk/src/main/java/com/splunk/HttpService.java b/splunk/src/main/java/com/splunk/HttpService.java
index 696495fb..26a88ada 100644
--- a/splunk/src/main/java/com/splunk/HttpService.java
+++ b/splunk/src/main/java/com/splunk/HttpService.java
@@ -52,10 +52,11 @@ public class HttpService {
     private static String HTTP_SCHEME = "http";
     private static String HOSTNAME = "localhost";
     private static String HOSTIP = "127.0.0.1";
+    private static String HOSTIPv6 = "::1";
 
     private static final HostnameVerifier HOSTNAME_VERIFIER = new HostnameVerifier() {
         public boolean verify(String s, SSLSession sslSession) {
-            if (s.equals(HOSTNAME) || s.equals(HOSTIP)) {
+            if (s.equals(HOSTNAME) || s.equals(HOSTIP) || s.equals(HOSTIPv6)) {
                 return true;
             } else {
                 HostnameVerifier hv = HttpsURLConnection.getDefaultHostnameVerifier();
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ public boolean verify(String s, SSLSession sslSession) {
     private String prefix = null;
 
     static Map<String, String> defaultHeader = new HashMap<String, String>() {{
-        put("User-Agent", "splunk-sdk-java/1.9.3");
+        put("User-Agent", "splunk-sdk-java/1.9.4");
         put("Accept", "*/*");
     }};
     
@@ -558,8 +559,12 @@ public static SSLSocketFactory getSSLSocketFactory() {
         return HttpService.sslSocketFactory;
     }
 
-    public static void setValidateCertificates(boolean validateCertificates) {
-        HttpService.validateCertificates = validateCertificates;
+    public static void setValidateCertificates(boolean validateCertificate) {
+        // update the SSL_SOCKET_FACTORY if validateCertificates flag is changed
+        if (validateCertificates != validateCertificate) {
+            validateCertificates = validateCertificate;
+            sslSocketFactory = createSSLFactory();
+        }
     }
 
     public static SSLSocketFactory createSSLFactory() {
diff --git a/splunk/src/test/java/com/splunk/HttpServiceTest.java b/splunk/src/test/java/com/splunk/HttpServiceTest.java
index 1ca2b9d2..283f1b99 100644
--- a/splunk/src/test/java/com/splunk/HttpServiceTest.java
+++ b/splunk/src/test/java/com/splunk/HttpServiceTest.java
@@ -41,6 +41,29 @@ public void setUp() throws Exception {
         );
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testHttpServiceWithHostIP(){
+        HttpService service = new HttpService("127.0.0.1");
+        ResponseMessage response = service.get("/");
+        Assert.assertEquals(200, response.getStatus());
+        Assert.assertTrue(firstLineIsXmlDtd(response.getContent()));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testHttpServiceWithHostIPv6(){
+        // IPv6 Host without the [] brackets
+        HttpService service = new HttpService("::1");
+        ResponseMessage response = service.get("/");
+        Assert.assertEquals(200, response.getStatus());
+        Assert.assertTrue(firstLineIsXmlDtd(response.getContent()));
+        
+        // IPv6 Host with the [] brackets
+        HttpService newService = new HttpService("[::1]");
+        ResponseMessage resp = newService.get("/");
+        Assert.assertEquals(200, resp.getStatus());
+        Assert.assertTrue(firstLineIsXmlDtd(resp.getContent()));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testGet() {
         ResponseMessage response = httpService.get("/");