diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7c340b5..ef5eebf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ An **x3270-aligned and IBM Host On-Demand (HoD) compatible IBM 3270 mainframe te
 Ready-to-run executable JARs and standalone library packages are built and tested across all three Java LTS baselines (**Java 11, Java 17, and Java 21**) by Gitea Actions:
 
 - **[Download Latest Tagged Release (`j3270.jar`)](https://git.hugfreevikings.wtf/rudi/j3270/releases)**
-- **Standalone Protocol Library (`lib3270j.jar`)**: Built by setup/build scripts and published to Maven (`haus.nightmare.j3270:lib3270j:1.3.0`).
+- **Standalone Protocol Library (`lib3270j.jar`)**: Built by setup/build scripts and published to Maven (`haus.nightmare.j3270:lib3270j:1.2.5`).
 - **[Latest Nightly CI Artifacts](https://git.hugfreevikings.wtf/rudi/j3270/actions)**: Download standalone JARs tailored for each LTS runtime under the latest workflow run:
   - `j3270-java11-jar` (Java 11 LTS)
   - `j3270-java17-jar` (Java 17 LTS — primary Gitea runner baseline)
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ java -jar j3270.jar -d mainframe.example.com
 - **Persistent Profiles**: Configuration profiles and session preferences saved in INI files (`j3270.ini`).
 
 ### 📦 Modular Zero-Dependency Core
-- **`lib3270j`**: Standalone Java protocol and terminal engine with **zero third-party dependencies** (`java.base`, `java.desktop` only). Distributed as standalone JAR (`build/lib3270j.jar`) and published Maven coordinate `haus.nightmare.j3270:lib3270j:1.3.0`.
+- **`lib3270j`**: Standalone Java protocol and terminal engine with **zero third-party dependencies** (`java.base`, `java.desktop` only). Distributed as standalone JAR (`build/lib3270j.jar`) and published Maven coordinate `haus.nightmare.j3270:lib3270j:1.2.5`.
 - **`j3270`**: Standalone desktop Swing terminal application.
 
 ---
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index b498c43..94f6725 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 allprojects {
     group = 'haus.nightmare.j3270'
-    version = '1.3.0'
+    version = '1.2.5'
 
     repositories {
         mavenCentral()
diff --git a/j3270/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Version.java b/j3270/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Version.java
index bf1070f..2488645 100644
--- a/j3270/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Version.java
+++ b/j3270/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Version.java
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ public final class Version {
     /**
      * Hardcoded fallback release version matching build.gradle and pom coordinates.
      */
-    public static final String VERSION = "1.3.0";
+    public static final String VERSION = "1.2.5";
 
     /**
      * Canonical application name.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public final class Version {
      * Inspects the package implementation version first (populated when loaded from a JAR),
      * and falls back to the compile-time {@link #VERSION} constant if null or blank.
      *
-     * @return the version string (e.g. "1.3.0")
+     * @return the version string (e.g. "1.2.5")
      */
     public static String getVersion() {
         Package pkg = Version.class.getPackage();
diff --git a/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase27BuildAndRenderTest.java b/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase27BuildAndRenderTest.java
index 0605749..2e0a280 100644
--- a/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase27BuildAndRenderTest.java
+++ b/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase27BuildAndRenderTest.java
@@ -29,36 +29,42 @@ import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 public class Phase27BuildAndRenderTest {
 
     @Test
-    @DisplayName("Phase 27.1 & 27.2: Release version 1.3.0 synchronized across build files and android.useAndroidX removed")
+    @DisplayName("Phase 27.1 & 27.2: Release version synchronized across build files and android.useAndroidX removed")
     public void testVersionSynchronizationAndGradleProperties() throws Exception {
         File projectRoot = new File(".").getCanonicalFile();
         if (!new File(projectRoot, "settings.gradle").exists() && projectRoot.getParentFile() != null) {
             projectRoot = projectRoot.getParentFile();
         }
 
-        // 1. Verify build.gradle version = '1.3.0'
+        String expectedVersion = Version.VERSION;
+        assertNotNull(expectedVersion, "Version.VERSION must not be null");
+        assertFalse(expectedVersion.isBlank(), "Version.VERSION must not be blank");
+
+        // 1. Verify build.gradle defines the expected version
         File buildGradle = new File(projectRoot, "build.gradle");
         assertTrue(buildGradle.exists(), "build.gradle must exist");
         String buildGradleContent = Files.readString(buildGradle.toPath());
-        assertTrue(buildGradleContent.contains("version = '1.3.0'"), "build.gradle must define version = '1.3.0'");
+        assertTrue(buildGradleContent.contains("version = '" + expectedVersion + "'"),
+                "build.gradle must define version = '" + expectedVersion + "'");
         assertFalse(buildGradleContent.contains("0.1.0"), "build.gradle must not contain 0.1.0");
 
-
-        // 3. Verify setup.ps1 Implementation-Version: 1.3.0
+        // 2. Verify setup.ps1 specifies the expected Implementation-Version
         File setupPs1 = new File(projectRoot, "setup.ps1");
         assertTrue(setupPs1.exists(), "setup.ps1 must exist");
         String setupPs1Content = Files.readString(setupPs1.toPath());
-        assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Version: 1.3.0"), "setup.ps1 must specify Implementation-Version: 1.3.0");
+        assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Version: " + expectedVersion),
+                "setup.ps1 must specify Implementation-Version: " + expectedVersion);
         assertFalse(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Version: 0.1.0"), "setup.ps1 must not contain 0.1.0");
 
-        // 4. Verify setup.sh Implementation-Version: 1.3.0
+        // 3. Verify setup.sh specifies the expected Implementation-Version
         File setupSh = new File(projectRoot, "setup.sh");
         assertTrue(setupSh.exists(), "setup.sh must exist");
         String setupShContent = Files.readString(setupSh.toPath());
-        assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Version: 1.3.0"), "setup.sh must specify Implementation-Version: 1.3.0");
+        assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Version: " + expectedVersion),
+                "setup.sh must specify Implementation-Version: " + expectedVersion);
         assertFalse(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Version: 0.1.0"), "setup.sh must not contain 0.1.0");
 
-        // 5. Verify gradle.properties android.useAndroidX removed
+        // 4. Verify gradle.properties android.useAndroidX removed
         File gradleProps = new File(projectRoot, "gradle.properties");
         assertTrue(gradleProps.exists(), "gradle.properties must exist");
         String gradlePropsContent = Files.readString(gradleProps.toPath());
diff --git a/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase31AboutAndInterfaceTest.java b/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase31AboutAndInterfaceTest.java
index 79bb23c..c25e4cc 100644
--- a/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase31AboutAndInterfaceTest.java
+++ b/j3270/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/j3270/Phase31AboutAndInterfaceTest.java
@@ -20,28 +20,35 @@ import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 public class Phase31AboutAndInterfaceTest {
 
     @Test
-    @DisplayName("Phase 31.1: Dedicated Version classes report v1.3.0 single source of truth")
+    @DisplayName("Phase 31.1: Dedicated Version classes report single source of truth")
     public void testVersionClasses() {
         // lib3270j
-        assertEquals("1.3.0", haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.VERSION);
+        assertNotNull(haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.VERSION, "lib3270j Version.VERSION must not be null");
+        assertFalse(haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.VERSION.isBlank(), "lib3270j Version.VERSION must not be blank");
         assertEquals("lib3270j", haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.NAME);
-        assertEquals("1.3.0", haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.getVersion());
+        assertEquals(haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.VERSION, haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.getVersion());
 
         // j3270
-        assertEquals("1.3.0", haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.VERSION);
+        assertNotNull(haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.VERSION, "j3270 Version.VERSION must not be null");
+        assertFalse(haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.VERSION.isBlank(), "j3270 Version.VERSION must not be blank");
         assertEquals("j3270", haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.NAME);
-        assertEquals("1.3.0", haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.getVersion());
+        assertEquals(haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.VERSION, haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.getVersion());
+
+        // Both modules should report consistent versions
+        assertEquals(haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.VERSION, haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.VERSION);
     }
 
     @Test
-    @DisplayName("Phase 31.2: Help > About dialogue text properly reports j3270 v1.3.0 and lib3270j v1.3.0")
+    @DisplayName("Phase 31.2: Help > About dialogue text properly reports j3270 and lib3270j versions")
     public void testAboutTextContent() {
         String aboutText = J3270App.getAboutText();
         assertNotNull(aboutText, "About text must not be null");
 
-        // Verify version reports
-        assertTrue(aboutText.contains("j3270 v1.3.0"), "About text must report j3270 v1.3.0");
-        assertTrue(aboutText.contains("lib3270j v1.3.0"), "About text must report lib3270j v1.3.0");
+        // Verify version reports dynamically
+        assertTrue(aboutText.contains("j3270 v" + haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.getVersion()),
+                "About text must report j3270 v" + haus.nightmare.j3270.Version.getVersion());
+        assertTrue(aboutText.contains("lib3270j v" + haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.getVersion()),
+                "About text must report lib3270j v" + haus.nightmare.lib3270j.Version.getVersion());
 
         // Verify stale pre-release versions are eradicated
         assertFalse(aboutText.contains("0.2.0"), "About text must not contain stale version 0.2.0");
diff --git a/lib3270j/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Version.java b/lib3270j/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Version.java
index 10f5e0d..fbe3c8c 100644
--- a/lib3270j/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Version.java
+++ b/lib3270j/src/main/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Version.java
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ public final class Version {
     /**
      * Hardcoded fallback release version matching build.gradle and pom coordinates.
      */
-    public static final String VERSION = "1.3.0";
+    public static final String VERSION = "1.2.5";
 
     /**
      * Canonical library name.
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public final class Version {
      * Inspects the package implementation version first (populated when loaded from a JAR),
      * and falls back to the compile-time {@link #VERSION} constant if null or blank.
      *
-     * @return the version string (e.g. "1.3.0")
+     * @return the version string (e.g. "1.2.5")
      */
     public static String getVersion() {
         Package pkg = Version.class.getPackage();
diff --git a/lib3270j/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Phase30LibraryDistributionTest.java b/lib3270j/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Phase30LibraryDistributionTest.java
index 8188bbf..f3012b7 100644
--- a/lib3270j/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Phase30LibraryDistributionTest.java
+++ b/lib3270j/src/test/java/haus/nightmare/lib3270j/Phase30LibraryDistributionTest.java
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ public class Phase30LibraryDistributionTest {
         String setupShContent = Files.readString(setupSh.toPath());
         assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("lib3270j.jar"), "setup.sh must package lib3270j.jar");
         assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Title: lib3270j"), "setup.sh must set Implementation-Title: lib3270j");
-        assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Version: 1.3.0"), "setup.sh must set Implementation-Version: 1.3.0");
+        assertTrue(setupShContent.contains("Implementation-Version: " + Version.VERSION),
+                "setup.sh must set Implementation-Version: " + Version.VERSION);
 
         // 3. setup.ps1
         File setupPs1 = new File(projectRoot, "setup.ps1");
@@ -74,7 +75,8 @@ public class Phase30LibraryDistributionTest {
         String setupPs1Content = Files.readString(setupPs1.toPath());
         assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("lib3270j.jar"), "setup.ps1 must package lib3270j.jar");
         assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Title: lib3270j"), "setup.ps1 must set Implementation-Title: lib3270j");
-        assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Version: 1.3.0"), "setup.ps1 must set Implementation-Version: 1.3.0");
+        assertTrue(setupPs1Content.contains("Implementation-Version: " + Version.VERSION),
+                "setup.ps1 must set Implementation-Version: " + Version.VERSION);
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -112,12 +114,13 @@ public class Phase30LibraryDistributionTest {
     @DisplayName("Phase 30.2: Maven local published artifacts exist and validate if maven-publish was executed")
     public void testMavenLocalPublishedArtifacts() throws Exception {
         String userHome = System.getProperty("user.home");
-        File m2ArtifactDir = new File(userHome, ".m2/repository/haus/nightmare/j3270/lib3270j/1.3.0");
+        String version = Version.VERSION;
+        File m2ArtifactDir = new File(userHome, ".m2/repository/haus/nightmare/j3270/lib3270j/" + version);
         if (m2ArtifactDir.exists()) {
-            File pomFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-1.3.0.pom");
-            File jarFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-1.3.0.jar");
-            File sourcesFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-1.3.0-sources.jar");
-            File javadocFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-1.3.0-javadoc.jar");
+            File pomFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-" + version + ".pom");
+            File jarFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-" + version + ".jar");
+            File sourcesFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-" + version + "-sources.jar");
+            File javadocFile = new File(m2ArtifactDir, "lib3270j-" + version + "-javadoc.jar");
 
             assertTrue(pomFile.exists() && pomFile.length() > 0, "POM file must exist and be non-empty");
             assertTrue(jarFile.exists() && jarFile.length() > 0, "JAR file must exist and be non-empty");
@@ -127,7 +130,7 @@ public class Phase30LibraryDistributionTest {
             String pomXml = Files.readString(pomFile.toPath());
             assertTrue(pomXml.contains("<groupId>haus.nightmare.j3270</groupId>"), "POM must contain groupId");
             assertTrue(pomXml.contains("<artifactId>lib3270j</artifactId>"), "POM must contain artifactId");
-            assertTrue(pomXml.contains("<version>1.3.0</version>"), "POM must contain version 1.3.0");
+            assertTrue(pomXml.contains("<version>" + version + "</version>"), "POM must contain version " + version);
             assertTrue(pomXml.contains("The Unlicense"), "POM must contain Unlicense");
             assertFalse(pomXml.contains("Apache"), "lib3270j POM must not contain Apache license");
             assertFalse(pomXml.contains("<dependencies>"), "lib3270j POM must have zero external dependencies");
diff --git a/setup.ps1 b/setup.ps1
index 3244527..3afd030 100644
--- a/setup.ps1
+++ b/setup.ps1
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ if (Test-Path $libResDir) {
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Write-LogInfo "Packaging standalone lib3270j library JAR..."
 $libManifestFile = Join-Path $BuildDir "LIB_MANIFEST.MF"
-$libManifestText = "Manifest-Version: 1.0`r`nImplementation-Title: lib3270j`r`nImplementation-Version: 1.3.0`r`nCreated-By: j3270 setup.ps1`r`n`r`n"
+$libManifestText = "Manifest-Version: 1.0`r`nImplementation-Title: lib3270j`r`nImplementation-Version: 1.2.5`r`nCreated-By: j3270 setup.ps1`r`n`r`n"
 [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($libManifestFile, $libManifestText)
 
 $libJarFile = Join-Path $BuildDir "lib3270j.jar"
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ $libJarFile = Join-Path $BuildDir "lib3270j.jar"
 
 Write-LogInfo "Packaging standalone executable JAR..."
 $manifestFile = Join-Path $BuildDir "MANIFEST.MF"
-$manifestText = "Manifest-Version: 1.0`r`nMain-Class: haus.nightmare.j3270.J3270App`r`nImplementation-Title: j3270`r`nImplementation-Version: 1.3.0`r`nCreated-By: j3270 setup.ps1`r`n`r`n"
+$manifestText = "Manifest-Version: 1.0`r`nMain-Class: haus.nightmare.j3270.J3270App`r`nImplementation-Title: j3270`r`nImplementation-Version: 1.2.5`r`nCreated-By: j3270 setup.ps1`r`n`r`n"
 [System.IO.File]::WriteAllText($manifestFile, $manifestText)
 
 $jarFile = Join-Path $BuildDir "j3270.jar"
diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index 05e4688..52d4b6a 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ log_info "Packaging standalone lib3270j library JAR..."
 cat << 'EOF' > "$BUILD_DIR/LIB_MANIFEST.MF"
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 Implementation-Title: lib3270j
-Implementation-Version: 1.3.0
+Implementation-Version: 1.2.5
 Created-By: j3270 setup.sh
 
 EOF
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ cat << 'EOF' > "$BUILD_DIR/MANIFEST.MF"
 Manifest-Version: 1.0
 Main-Class: haus.nightmare.j3270.J3270App
 Implementation-Title: j3270
-Implementation-Version: 1.3.0
+Implementation-Version: 1.2.5
 Created-By: j3270 setup.sh
 
 EOF