diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index ca1920347..9683f1b8d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ Change Log
 ----------
 
 
+8.8.2
+=====
+* Minor structured_data fix related to counting unresolved references;
+  not functionally consequential; only incorrect user feedback in smaht-submitr.
+
+
 8.8.1
 =====
 * Changes to troubleshooting utility script view-portal-object.
diff --git a/dcicutils/structured_data.py b/dcicutils/structured_data.py
index 0d60c8373..9d0184216 100644
--- a/dcicutils/structured_data.py
+++ b/dcicutils/structured_data.py
@@ -956,7 +956,9 @@ def ref_exists_internally(self, type_name: str, value: Optional[str] = None,
                 self._cache_ref(type_name, value, resolved)
                 return resolved
         if update_counts:
-            self._ref_total_notfound_count += 1
+            # No do not update the not-found count if not found internally (2024-03-14).
+            # self._ref_total_notfound_count += 1
+            pass
         return {}  # Empty return means not resolved internally.
 
     def _ref_exists_single_internally(self, type_name: str, value: str) -> Tuple[bool, Optional[dict]]:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 1b470311b..2e5b75bb0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "dcicutils"
-version = "8.8.1"
+version = "8.8.1.1b1"  # TODO: To become 8.8.2
 description = "Utility package for interacting with the 4DN Data Portal and other 4DN resources"
 authors = ["4DN-DCIC Team <support@4dnucleome.org>"]
 license = "MIT"