diff --git a/Shorewall/changelog.txt b/Shorewall/changelog.txt
index ca26358f1..f2011d3b8 100644
--- a/Shorewall/changelog.txt
+++ b/Shorewall/changelog.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ Changes in Shorewall 4.4.9
 
 11) Rationalize startup logs.
 
+12) Optimize 8.
+
 Changes in Shorewall 4.4.8
 
 1)  Correct handling of RATE LIMIT on NAT rules.
diff --git a/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt b/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
index e148e9250..52a4c6fbb 100644
--- a/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
+++ b/Shorewall/releasenotes.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        S H O R E W A L L  4 . 4 . 9
-                               B E T A  3
+                               B E T A  4
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 I.    RELEASE 4.4 HIGHLIGHTS
@@ -319,7 +319,10 @@ None.
 
 	NF-(X)-> mangle:tcpost
 
-3)  Thanks to Vincent Smeets, there is now an IPv6 mDNS macro. 
+3)  Thanks to Vincent Smeets, there is now an IPv6 mDNS macro.
+
+4)  Optimize 8 has been added. This optimization level eliminates
+    duplicate chains.
 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 V I.  P R O B L E M S  C O R R E C T E D  A N D  N E W   F E A T U R E S
diff --git a/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml b/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
index baee3e857..1e1a5a648 100644
--- a/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
+++ b/manpages/shorewall.conf.xml
@@ -1270,6 +1270,12 @@ net     all  DROP   info</programlisting>then the chain name is 'net2all'
                 </listitem>
               </itemizedlist>
             </listitem>
+
+            <listitem>
+              <para>Optimization category 8 - Added in Shorewall 4.4.9. When
+              set, causes chains with duplicate rules to be collapsed into a
+              single chain.</para>
+            </listitem>
           </itemizedlist>
 
           <para>The default value is zero which disables all
diff --git a/manpages6/shorewall6.conf.xml b/manpages6/shorewall6.conf.xml
index 19c8090ef..4847ecce7 100644
--- a/manpages6/shorewall6.conf.xml
+++ b/manpages6/shorewall6.conf.xml
@@ -1050,6 +1050,12 @@ net     all  DROP   info</programlisting>then the chain name is 'net2all'
                 </listitem>
               </itemizedlist>
             </listitem>
+
+            <listitem>
+              <para>Optimization category 8 - Added in Shorewall 4.4.9. When
+              set, causes chains with duplicate rules to be collapsed into a
+              single chain.</para>
+            </listitem>
           </itemizedlist>
 
           <para>The default value is zero which disables all