diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index f7c2c6e328..b9c43bc7a1 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+	--- 9.9.6rc1 released ---
+
 3933.	[bug]		Corrected the implementation of dns_rdata_casecompare()
 			for the HIP rdata type.  [RT #36911]
 
diff --git a/lib/dns/api b/lib/dns/api
index 5dc0d3dd81..f677ea263a 100644
--- a/lib/dns/api
+++ b/lib/dns/api
@@ -5,5 +5,5 @@
 # 9.9: 90-109
 # 9.9-sub: 130-139
 LIBINTERFACE = 104
-LIBREVISION = 0
+LIBREVISION = 1
 LIBAGE = 0
diff --git a/version b/version
index a0b998661d..c3a5dd35bc 100644
--- a/version
+++ b/version
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ DESCRIPTION="(Extended Support Version)"
 MAJORVER=9
 MINORVER=9
 PATCHVER=6
-RELEASETYPE=b
-RELEASEVER=2
+RELEASETYPE=rc
+RELEASEVER=1
 EXTENSIONS=