diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f79d46d..c6d9e93 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ sequencing (RRBS). These tools focus on overcoming the computing
 challenges imposed by the scale of genome-wide DNA methylation data,
 which is usually the early parts of data analysis.
 
-## Installing release 1.4.3
+## Installing release 1.4.4
 
 The documentation for DNMTools can be found
 [here](https://dnmtools.readthedocs.io). But if you want to install
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@ repo, it is easiest if all dependencies are available through conda.
 
 ### Configuration
 
-* Download [dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz](https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools/releases/download/v1.4.3/dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz).
+* Download [dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz](https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools/releases/download/v1.4.4/dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz).
 * Unpack the archive:
 ```console
-tar -zxvf dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz
+tar -zxvf dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz
 ```
 * Move into the dnmtools directory and create a build directory:
 ```console
-cd dnmtools-1.4.3 && mkdir build && cd build
+cd dnmtools-1.4.4 && mkdir build && cd build
 ```
 * Run the configuration script:
 ```console
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ docker tag ghcr.io/smithlabcode/dnmtools:latest dnmtools:latest
 
 You can also install the image for a particular vertion by running
 ```console
-docker pull ghcr.io/smithlabcode/dnmtools:v[VERSION NUMBER] #(e.g. v1.4.3)
+docker pull ghcr.io/smithlabcode/dnmtools:v[VERSION NUMBER] #(e.g. v1.4.4)
 ```
 Not all versions have corresponding images; you can find available images
 [here](https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools/pkgs/container/dnmtools).
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6ac8617..b2ff44c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ dnl but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 dnl MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
 dnl General Public License for more details.
 
-AC_INIT([dnmtools], [1.4.3], [andrewds@usc.edu],
+AC_INIT([dnmtools], [1.4.4], [andrewds@usc.edu],
         [dnmtools], [https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools])
 dnl the config.h is #included in the sources for version info
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([config.h])
diff --git a/data/md5sum.txt b/data/md5sum.txt
index b33c77d..ebb08e7 100644
--- a/data/md5sum.txt
+++ b/data/md5sum.txt
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ ec6a686617cad31e9f7a37a3d378e6ed  tests/two_epialleles.states
 93e38b20d162062a5d147c4290095a13  tests/mlml.out
 d947fe3d61ef7b1564558a69608f0e64  tests/methylome.pmd
 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e  tests/two_epialleles.amr
-6bbf66748e2a11d5c2736a81efeac270  tests/reads.fmt.sam
-f963e689859dcf38a26acda9a65a6431  tests/reads.sam
-a751b849e0895b2403f8ddd01b647ae1  tests/reads.fmt.srt.uniq.sam
-abb472bdea230af31e0d2b00abb95b02  tests/reads.xcounts
-12e0afdca1387b2805cfee0ea2ddcfea  tests/reads.unxcounts
+fec572ada903add94dda1a01a3da9167  tests/reads.sam
+e74154fedadbc365d8e0a228d6cfa6bb  tests/reads.fmt.sam
+414c2e3aee2c154565f5ee44192ab3a8  tests/reads.fmt.srt.uniq.sam
+c56171d4902381f2ef19cccdfe34f0be  tests/reads.xcounts
+598f2a6ae5d843d6e9acfb611c747b53  tests/reads.unxcounts
diff --git a/docs/content/quickstart.md b/docs/content/quickstart.md
index 1e3f8d2..306094b 100644
--- a/docs/content/quickstart.md
+++ b/docs/content/quickstart.md
@@ -70,14 +70,14 @@ would need to be activated when you want to use dnmtools.
 
 ### Configuration
 
-* Download [dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz](https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools/releases/download/v1.4.3/dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz).
+* Download [dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz](https://github.com/smithlabcode/dnmtools/releases/download/v1.4.4/dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz).
 * Unpack the archive:
 ```console
-$ tar -zxvf dnmtools-1.4.3.tar.gz
+$ tar -zxvf dnmtools-1.4.4.tar.gz
 ```
 * Move into the dnmtools directory and create a build directory:
 ```console
-$ cd dnmtools-1.4.3
+$ cd dnmtools-1.4.4
 $ mkdir build && cd build
 ```
 * Run the configuration script:
diff --git a/src/abismal b/src/abismal
index 2c91873..5f8e0bf 160000
--- a/src/abismal
+++ b/src/abismal
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 2c9187306f467de48403ef6202b69a8a0f132855
+Subproject commit 5f8e0bf65cbcaa37baa9240942d37b61872aaa09
diff --git a/src/smithlab_cpp b/src/smithlab_cpp
index ca5acc5..862012d 160000
--- a/src/smithlab_cpp
+++ b/src/smithlab_cpp
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit ca5acc5bcd2a8755682b45c717505e640a1e816e
+Subproject commit 862012de86bed4bde61bc72784aa27f88bd2965a