diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 53fe6c59c..950a66556 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Guess values for system-dependent variables and create Makefiles.
-# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71 for unrealircd 6.2.0-beta1.
+# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71 for unrealircd 6.2.0-beta2.
 #
 # Report bugs to <https://bugs.unrealircd.org/>.
 #
@@ -611,8 +611,8 @@ MAKEFLAGS=
 # Identity of this package.
 PACKAGE_NAME='unrealircd'
 PACKAGE_TARNAME='unrealircd'
-PACKAGE_VERSION='6.2.0-beta1'
-PACKAGE_STRING='unrealircd 6.2.0-beta1'
+PACKAGE_VERSION='6.2.0-beta2'
+PACKAGE_STRING='unrealircd 6.2.0-beta2'
 PACKAGE_BUGREPORT='https://bugs.unrealircd.org/'
 PACKAGE_URL='https://unrealircd.org/'
 
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ if test "$ac_init_help" = "long"; then
   # Omit some internal or obsolete options to make the list less imposing.
   # This message is too long to be a string in the A/UX 3.1 sh.
   cat <<_ACEOF
-\`configure' configures unrealircd 6.2.0-beta1 to adapt to many kinds of systems.
+\`configure' configures unrealircd 6.2.0-beta2 to adapt to many kinds of systems.
 
 Usage: $0 [OPTION]... [VAR=VALUE]...
 
@@ -1438,7 +1438,7 @@ fi
 
 if test -n "$ac_init_help"; then
   case $ac_init_help in
-     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of unrealircd 6.2.0-beta1:";;
+     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of unrealircd 6.2.0-beta2:";;
    esac
   cat <<\_ACEOF
 
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ fi
 test -n "$ac_init_help" && exit $ac_status
 if $ac_init_version; then
   cat <<\_ACEOF
-unrealircd configure 6.2.0-beta1
+unrealircd configure 6.2.0-beta2
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71
 
 Copyright (C) 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -1915,7 +1915,7 @@ cat >config.log <<_ACEOF
 This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
 running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.
 
-It was created by unrealircd $as_me 6.2.0-beta1, which was
+It was created by unrealircd $as_me 6.2.0-beta2, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71.  Invocation command line was
 
   $ $0$ac_configure_args_raw
@@ -2706,7 +2706,7 @@ printf "%s\n" "#define UNREAL_VERSION_MINOR $UNREAL_VERSION_MINOR" >>confdefs.h
 # The version suffix such as a beta marker or release candidate
 # marker. (e.g.: -rcX for unrealircd-3.2.9-rcX). This macro is a
 # string instead of an integer because it contains arbitrary data.
-UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX="-beta1"
+UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX="-beta2"
 
 printf "%s\n" "#define UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX \"$UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX\"" >>confdefs.h
 
@@ -10238,7 +10238,7 @@ cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<\_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 # report actual input values of CONFIG_FILES etc. instead of their
 # values after options handling.
 ac_log="
-This file was extended by unrealircd $as_me 6.2.0-beta1, which was
+This file was extended by unrealircd $as_me 6.2.0-beta2, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71.  Invocation command line was
 
   CONFIG_FILES    = $CONFIG_FILES
@@ -10303,7 +10303,7 @@ ac_cs_config_escaped=`printf "%s\n" "$ac_cs_config" | sed "s/^ //; s/'/'\\\\\\\\
 cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 ac_cs_config='$ac_cs_config_escaped'
 ac_cs_version="\\
-unrealircd config.status 6.2.0-beta1
+unrealircd config.status 6.2.0-beta2
 configured by $0, generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71,
   with options \\"\$ac_cs_config\\"
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 40c2aac2f..4efc98af1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dnl src/windows/unrealinst.iss
 dnl doc/Config.header
 dnl src/version.c.SH
 
-AC_INIT([unrealircd], [6.2.0-beta1], [https://bugs.unrealircd.org/], [], [https://unrealircd.org/])
+AC_INIT([unrealircd], [6.2.0-beta2], [https://bugs.unrealircd.org/], [], [https://unrealircd.org/])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/ircd.c])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADER([include/setup.h])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([autoconf])
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([UNREAL_VERSION_MINOR], [$UNREAL_VERSION_MINOR], [Minor versi
 # The version suffix such as a beta marker or release candidate
 # marker. (e.g.: -rcX for unrealircd-3.2.9-rcX). This macro is a
 # string instead of an integer because it contains arbitrary data.
-UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX=["-beta1"]
+UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX=["-beta2"]
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX], ["$UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX"], [Version suffix such as a beta marker or release candidate marker. (e.g.: -rcX for unrealircd-3.2.9-rcX)])
 
 AC_PATH_PROG(RM,rm)
diff --git a/doc/Config.header b/doc/Config.header
index 7d85df7f0..e84c807f2 100644
--- a/doc/Config.header
+++ b/doc/Config.header
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  \___/|_| |_|_|  \___|\__,_|_|\___/\_| \_| \____/\__,_|
 
                                Configuration Program
-                                for UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta1
+                                for UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta2
                                     
 This program will help you to compile your IRC server, and ask you
 questions regarding the compile-time settings of it during the process. 
diff --git a/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index b748867a2..07c052787 100644
--- a/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/doc/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
-UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta1
+UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta2
 =======================
 
-This is git. This is work in progress and not a stable version.
+This is the second beta for future UnrealIRCd 6.2.0. This is work in progress
+and not a stable version. There will likely be several more beta's.  
+Please report any issues at https://bugs.unrealircd.org/.
+
+Changes between beta1 and beta2 are: channel flood protection on by default,
+text analysis in the JSON, support PQC with openssl 3.5, and fixes for
+running with an openssl without md5 (eg in FIPS mode).
 
 ### Enhancements:
 * [Channel flood protection by default](https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Channel_anti-flood_settings):
@@ -16,6 +22,14 @@ This is git. This is work in progress and not a stable version.
     don't seem to use `+f` or `+F`. With this change they are now protected "by default"
     when no MODE `+f` or `+F` is set.
   * Advanced users can can grab the detailed effective settings with `MODE #test F`
+  * The default protection can be lowered in the config file with:
+    ```
+    set { anti-flood { channel { default-profile relaxed; } } }
+    ```
+    Note that doing so would lower protection for everyone. You can also use `off` instead of
+    `relaxed` to disable it entirely (which is not recommended but makes it how things were
+    before 6.2.x). We recommend using `normal` (which is the default already) and doing
+    per-channel exceptions via `+F` where needed.
 * [AntiMixedUTF8](https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Set_block#set::antimixedutf8):
   This is now aware of a lot more unicode blocks. This will cause a higher
   score for some regular messages, so be aware if you have the score set very
diff --git a/doc/conf/examples/example.conf b/doc/conf/examples/example.conf
index 4c1ccb338..abcbe3573 100644
--- a/doc/conf/examples/example.conf
+++ b/doc/conf/examples/example.conf
@@ -534,11 +534,25 @@ set {
 	/* static-part does the same for /PART */
 	/* static-part yes; */
 
-	/* Flood protection:
-	 * There are lots of settings for this and most have good defaults.
-	 * See https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Set_block#set::anti-flood
-	 */
+	/* Flood protection */
 	anti-flood {
+		/* There are lots of settings for this and most have good defaults.
+		 * See https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Anti-flood_settings
+		 */
+
+		channel {
+			/* For channel-specific anti-flood settings, see
+			 * https://www.unrealircd.org/docs/Channel_anti-flood_settings
+			 * In UnrealIRCd 6.2.0+ the default is profile "normal".
+			 * Chanops can override this via "MODE #channel +F relaxed"
+			 * or "+F off". If you are afraid of too many false positives
+			 * then you could set this to "relaxed" instead. Note that
+			 * doing so would reduce protection for everyone. Another
+			 * option is to set it here to "off" to disable this default
+			 * channel protection entirely (not recommended).
+			 */
+			default-profile normal;
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* Settings for spam filter */
diff --git a/doc/conf/modules.default.conf b/doc/conf/modules.default.conf
index e2b38c054..206fc6755 100644
--- a/doc/conf/modules.default.conf
+++ b/doc/conf/modules.default.conf
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* [6.2.0-beta1]
+/* [6.2.0-beta2]
  * This file will load (nearly) all modules available on UnrealIRCd.
  * So all commands, channel modes, user modes, etc..
  *
diff --git a/extras/doxygen/Doxyfile b/extras/doxygen/Doxyfile
index 2677d7c9b..ce8dacb31 100644
--- a/extras/doxygen/Doxyfile
+++ b/extras/doxygen/Doxyfile
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ PROJECT_NAME           = "UnrealIRCd"
 # could be handy for archiving the generated documentation or if some version
 # control system is used.
 
-PROJECT_NUMBER         = 6.2.0-beta1
+PROJECT_NUMBER         = 6.2.0-beta2
 
 # Using the PROJECT_BRIEF tag one can provide an optional one line description
 # for a project that appears at the top of each page and should give viewer a
diff --git a/include/windows/setup.h b/include/windows/setup.h
index 51e3b4947..8b10e8d80 100644
--- a/include/windows/setup.h
+++ b/include/windows/setup.h
@@ -73,6 +73,6 @@
 
 /* Version suffix such as a beta marker or release candidate marker. (e.g.:
    -rcX for unrealircd-3.2.9-rcX) */
-#define UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX "-beta1"
+#define UNREAL_VERSION_SUFFIX "-beta2"
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/version.c.SH b/src/version.c.SH
index 5333d52c1..4cd0ae5fe 100644
--- a/src/version.c.SH
+++ b/src/version.c.SH
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ echo "Extracting src/version.c..."
 if [ -d ../.git ]; then
 	SUFFIX="-$(git rev-parse --short HEAD)"
 fi
-id="6.2.0-beta1$SUFFIX"
+id="6.2.0-beta2$SUFFIX"
 echo "$id"
 
 if test -r version.c
diff --git a/src/windows/unrealinst.iss b/src/windows/unrealinst.iss
index f3e4c7b41..948b251a6 100755
--- a/src/windows/unrealinst.iss
+++ b/src/windows/unrealinst.iss
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 [Setup]
 AppName=UnrealIRCd 6
-AppVerName=UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta1
+AppVerName=UnrealIRCd 6.2.0-beta2
 AppPublisher=UnrealIRCd Team
 AppPublisherURL=https://www.unrealircd.org
 AppSupportURL=https://www.unrealircd.org