diff --git a/q2_itsxpress/_itsxpress.py b/q2_itsxpress/_itsxpress.py
index 6ff3c91..f1799d3 100644
--- a/q2_itsxpress/_itsxpress.py
+++ b/q2_itsxpress/_itsxpress.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from itsxpress.definitions import (taxa_dict,
                    ROOT_DIR)
 
-default_cluster_id=0.987
+default_cluster_id=0.995
 
 def _view_artifact_type(per_sample_sequence: _SingleLanePerSampleFastqDirFmt) -> str:
     """Opens the metadata file and looks for the 'type'.
diff --git a/q2_itsxpress/plugin_setup.py b/q2_itsxpress/plugin_setup.py
index ad2284e..486a150 100644
--- a/q2_itsxpress/plugin_setup.py
+++ b/q2_itsxpress/plugin_setup.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 plugin = Plugin(
     name='itsxpress',
-    version='1.6.0',
+    version='1.6.1',
     package='q2_itsxpress',
     website='https://github.com/kweber1/q2_itsxpress             '
             'ITSxpress: https://github.com/USDA-ARS-GBRU/itsxpress',
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 38dbd4c..7967341 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='q2_itsxpress',
-    version='1.6.0',
+    version='1.6.1',
     packages=['q2_itsxpress'],
     author='Adam R. Rivers, Kyle C. Weber',
     author_email='adam.rivers@ars.usda.gov, kweber1@ufl.edu',