diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d06f4038c7..71798770b7 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 Changes in version 0.2.8.1-alpha - 2016-02-0?
-  XXXX Blurb goes here XXXX
+  Tor 0.2.8.1-alpha is the first alpha release in its series. It
+  includes numerous small features and bugfixes against previous Tor
+  versions, and numerous small infrastructure improvements. The most
+  notable features are a set of improvements to the directory
+  subsystem.
 
   o Major key updates:
     - Update the V3 identity key for dannenberg: it was changed on 18
       November 2015. Closes task 17906. Patch by "teor".
 
- o Removed features:
+  o Removed features:
     - Remove client-side support for connecting to Tor servers running
       versions of Tor before 0.2.3.6-alpha. These servers didn't support
       the v3 TLS handshake protocol, and are no longer allowed on the