diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 607ef5eb6..40284ee69 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2018.08-dev
+2018.08-rc
diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index b1e98270c..2236a4d5d 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ require_once 'include/text.php';
 
 define('FRIENDICA_PLATFORM',     'Friendica');
 define('FRIENDICA_CODENAME',     'The Tazmans Flax-lily');
-define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2018.08-dev');
+define('FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2018.08-rc');
 define('DFRN_PROTOCOL_VERSION',  '2.23');
 define('DB_UPDATE_VERSION',      1283);
 define('NEW_UPDATE_ROUTINE_VERSION', 1170);