diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6c2c9ae31c..511fa07468 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## unreleased
 
+## 2.53.0-rc.0 / 2024-06-06
+
 This release changes the default for GOGC, the Go runtime control for the trade-off between excess memory use and CPU usage. We have found that Prometheus operates with minimal additional CPU usage, but greatly reduced memory by adjusting the upstream Go default from 100 to 50.
 
 * [CHANGE] Rules: Execute 1 query instead of N (where N is the number of alerts within alert rule) when restoring alerts. #13980
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index e7a1fa2a8c..ae392bf33c 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.52.1
+2.53.0-rc.0
diff --git a/web/ui/module/codemirror-promql/package.json b/web/ui/module/codemirror-promql/package.json
index f3f48c95e5..152abc8c7b 100644
--- a/web/ui/module/codemirror-promql/package.json
+++ b/web/ui/module/codemirror-promql/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql",
-  "version": "0.52.1",
+  "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
   "description": "a CodeMirror mode for the PromQL language",
   "types": "dist/esm/index.d.ts",
   "module": "dist/esm/index.js",
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/blob/main/web/ui/module/codemirror-promql/README.md",
   "dependencies": {
-    "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql": "0.52.1",
+    "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql": "0.53.0-rc.0",
     "lru-cache": "^7.18.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/web/ui/module/lezer-promql/package.json b/web/ui/module/lezer-promql/package.json
index fa3be21d73..93486b8dec 100644
--- a/web/ui/module/lezer-promql/package.json
+++ b/web/ui/module/lezer-promql/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql",
-  "version": "0.52.1",
+  "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
   "description": "lezer-based PromQL grammar",
   "main": "dist/index.cjs",
   "type": "module",
diff --git a/web/ui/package-lock.json b/web/ui/package-lock.json
index 139a24fc6e..d002109ddd 100644
--- a/web/ui/package-lock.json
+++ b/web/ui/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "prometheus-io",
-  "version": "0.52.1",
+  "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "prometheus-io",
-      "version": "0.52.1",
+      "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
       "workspaces": [
         "react-app",
         "module/*"
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@
     },
     "module/codemirror-promql": {
       "name": "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql",
-      "version": "0.52.1",
+      "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql": "0.52.1",
+        "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql": "0.53.0-rc.0",
         "lru-cache": "^7.18.3"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
     },
     "module/lezer-promql": {
       "name": "@prometheus-io/lezer-promql",
-      "version": "0.52.1",
+      "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "devDependencies": {
         "@lezer/generator": "^1.5.1",
@@ -19233,7 +19233,7 @@
     },
     "react-app": {
       "name": "@prometheus-io/app",
-      "version": "0.52.1",
+      "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@codemirror/autocomplete": "^6.11.1",
         "@codemirror/commands": "^6.3.2",
@@ -19251,7 +19251,7 @@
         "@lezer/lr": "^1.3.14",
         "@nexucis/fuzzy": "^0.4.1",
         "@nexucis/kvsearch": "^0.8.1",
-        "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql": "0.52.1",
+        "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql": "0.53.0-rc.0",
         "bootstrap": "^4.6.2",
         "css.escape": "^1.5.1",
         "downshift": "^7.6.2",
diff --git a/web/ui/package.json b/web/ui/package.json
index 407b97f6c4..4c9ce03e4e 100644
--- a/web/ui/package.json
+++ b/web/ui/package.json
@@ -28,5 +28,5 @@
     "ts-jest": "^29.1.1",
     "typescript": "^4.9.5"
   },
-  "version": "0.52.1"
+  "version": "0.53.0-rc.0"
 }
diff --git a/web/ui/react-app/package.json b/web/ui/react-app/package.json
index 4bc667b0f0..d21cf3db5b 100644
--- a/web/ui/react-app/package.json
+++ b/web/ui/react-app/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@prometheus-io/app",
-  "version": "0.52.1",
+  "version": "0.53.0-rc.0",
   "private": true,
   "dependencies": {
     "@codemirror/autocomplete": "^6.11.1",
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     "@lezer/lr": "^1.3.14",
     "@nexucis/fuzzy": "^0.4.1",
     "@nexucis/kvsearch": "^0.8.1",
-    "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql": "0.52.1",
+    "@prometheus-io/codemirror-promql": "0.53.0-rc.0",
     "bootstrap": "^4.6.2",
     "css.escape": "^1.5.1",
     "downshift": "^7.6.2",