diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 8f8f492c..f2939399 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  kombu - Messaging Framework for Python
 ========================================
 
-:Version: 3.0.0a1
+:Version: 3.0.0rc1
 
 `Kombu` is a messaging framework for Python.
 
diff --git a/kombu/__init__.py b/kombu/__init__.py
index aca461d7..e44ce144 100644
--- a/kombu/__init__.py
+++ b/kombu/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Messaging Framework for Python"""
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
-VERSION = (3, 0, 0, 'a1')
+VERSION = (3, 0, 0, 'rc1')
 __version__ = '.'.join(map(str, VERSION[0:3])) + ''.join(VERSION[3:])
 __author__ = 'Ask Solem'
 __contact__ = 'ask@celeryproject.org'