diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index f9963500..a696b6a7 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.1.0-alpha.35"
+  ".": "0.1.0-alpha.36"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c97d9fac..6a236e6f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.1.0-alpha.36 (2025-11-20)
+
+Full Changelog: [v0.1.0-alpha.35...v0.1.0-alpha.36](https://github.com/Finch-API/finch-api-ruby/compare/v0.1.0-alpha.35...v0.1.0-alpha.36)
+
+### Chores
+
+* explicitly require "base64" gem ([6ff4b07](https://github.com/Finch-API/finch-api-ruby/commit/6ff4b0724760875699854af9d8747f5680f4b77f))
+
 ## 0.1.0-alpha.35 (2025-11-09)
 
 Full Changelog: [v0.1.0-alpha.34...v0.1.0-alpha.35](https://github.com/Finch-API/finch-api-ruby/compare/v0.1.0-alpha.34...v0.1.0-alpha.35)
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index a734e283..ca176206 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ GIT
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    finch-api (0.1.0.pre.alpha.35)
+    finch-api (0.1.0.pre.alpha.36)
       connection_pool
 
 GEM
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 85ac440f..8fb8c932 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ To use this gem, install via Bundler by adding the following to your application
 <!-- x-release-please-start-version -->
 
 ```ruby
-gem "finch-api", "~> 0.1.0.pre.alpha.35"
+gem "finch-api", "~> 0.1.0.pre.alpha.36"
 ```
 
 <!-- x-release-please-end -->
diff --git a/lib/finch_api.rb b/lib/finch_api.rb
index 45dd13fe..ca2d5527 100644
--- a/lib/finch_api.rb
+++ b/lib/finch_api.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # Standard libraries.
 # rubocop:disable Lint/RedundantRequireStatement
 require "English"
+require "base64"
 require "cgi"
 require "date"
 require "erb"
diff --git a/lib/finch_api/version.rb b/lib/finch_api/version.rb
index 0b786986..c28d978b 100644
--- a/lib/finch_api/version.rb
+++ b/lib/finch_api/version.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module FinchAPI
-  VERSION = "0.1.0.pre.alpha.35"
+  VERSION = "0.1.0.pre.alpha.36"
 end
diff --git a/manifest.yaml b/manifest.yaml
index 7853f4ab..a1fd74a9 100644
--- a/manifest.yaml
+++ b/manifest.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 dependencies:
   - English
+  - base64
   - cgi
   - date
   - erb