diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 41367d09e2..6f0044591c 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2019.12-dev
+2019.12-rc
diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index d2597b378e..1f9bb3412a 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use Friendica\Util\DateTimeFormat;
 
 define('FRIENDICA_PLATFORM',     'Friendica');
 define('FRIENDICA_CODENAME',     'Dalmatian Bellflower');
-define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2019.12-dev');
+define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2019.12-rc');
 define('DFRN_PROTOCOL_VERSION',  '2.23');
 define('NEW_UPDATE_ROUTINE_VERSION', 1170);