diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 27c3eab6..62ea8918 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -15,11 +15,6 @@ before_deploy:
 - carthage archive $FRAMEWORK_NAME
 script:
 - xcodebuild -workspace AWSAppSyncClient.xcworkspace -scheme AWSAppSync build
-deploy:
-- provider: script
-  script: "./cocoapods_release.sh"
-  on:
-    tags: true
 - provider: releases
   api_key:
     secure: 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
@@ -28,3 +23,8 @@ deploy:
   on:
     repo: awslabs/aws-mobile-appsync-sdk-ios
     tags: true
+deploy:
+- provider: script
+  script: "./cocoapods_release.sh"
+  on:
+    tags: true
diff --git a/AWSAppSync.podspec b/AWSAppSync.podspec
index 18bf0918..ae228652 100644
--- a/AWSAppSync.podspec
+++ b/AWSAppSync.podspec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Pod::Spec.new do |s|
   s.name         = 'AWSAppSync'
-  s.version      = '2.6.17'
+  s.version      = '2.6.18'
   s.author       = 'AWS'
   s.homepage     = 'http://aws.amazon.com/mobile/sdk'
   s.license      = { :type => 'Amazon Software License', :file => 'LICENSE' }
diff --git a/AWSAppSyncClient/AWSAppSyncHTTPNetworkTransport.swift b/AWSAppSyncClient/AWSAppSyncHTTPNetworkTransport.swift
index 7ce91199..9c3090fb 100644
--- a/AWSAppSyncClient/AWSAppSyncHTTPNetworkTransport.swift
+++ b/AWSAppSyncClient/AWSAppSyncHTTPNetworkTransport.swift
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ public class AWSAppSyncHTTPNetworkTransport: AWSNetworkTransport {
         request.httpMethod = "POST"
         request.setValue(NSDate().aws_stringValue(AWSDateISO8601DateFormat2), forHTTPHeaderField: "X-Amz-Date")
         request.setValue("application/json", forHTTPHeaderField: "Content-Type")
-        request.setValue("aws-sdk-ios/2.6.16 AppSyncClient", forHTTPHeaderField: "User-Agent")
+        request.setValue("aws-sdk-ios/2.6.18 AppSyncClient", forHTTPHeaderField: "User-Agent")
         if self.authType == .apiKey {
             request.setValue(self.apiKeyAuthProvider!.getAPIKey(), forHTTPHeaderField: "x-api-key")
         } else if self.authType == .oidcToken {
diff --git a/AWSAppSyncClient/Info.plist b/AWSAppSyncClient/Info.plist
index be88c3eb..a4b37d2a 100644
--- a/AWSAppSyncClient/Info.plist
+++ b/AWSAppSyncClient/Info.plist
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 	<key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
 	<string>FMWK</string>
 	<key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
-	<string>2.6.17</string>
+	<string>2.6.18</string>
 	<key>CFBundleVersion</key>
 	<string>$(CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION)</string>
 	<key>NSPrincipalClass</key>
diff --git a/AWSAppSyncClient/MQTTSDK/AWSIoTMQTTClient.m b/AWSAppSyncClient/MQTTSDK/AWSIoTMQTTClient.m
index fbe37842..8f50533e 100644
--- a/AWSAppSyncClient/MQTTSDK/AWSIoTMQTTClient.m
+++ b/AWSAppSyncClient/MQTTSDK/AWSIoTMQTTClient.m
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ @implementation AWSIoTMQTTClient
 This version is for metrics collection for AWS IoT purpose only. It may be different
  than the version of AWS SDK for iOS. Update this version when there's a change in AWSIoT.
  */
-static const NSString *SDK_VERSION = @"2.6.19";
+static const NSString *SDK_VERSION = @"2.6.20";
 
 
 #pragma mark Intialitalizers
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e78b4be4..8a095a48 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 The AWS AppSync SDK for iOS enables you to access your AWS AppSync backend and perform operations like `Queries`, `Mutations` and `Subscriptions`. The SDK also includes support for offline operations.
 
+## 2.6.18
+
+### Enhancements
+
+* Improve connection handling of underlying MQTTClient.
+
 ## 2.6.17
 
 ### Enhancements
diff --git a/cocoapods_release.sh b/cocoapods_release.sh
index e1899bcf..74f9bddd 100644
--- a/cocoapods_release.sh
+++ b/cocoapods_release.sh
@@ -1,5 +1 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-
-source ~/.rvm/scripts/rvm
-rvm use default
 pod trunk push AWSAppSync.podspec --allow-warnings