diff --git a/django/__init__.py b/django/__init__.py
index e9c75e142f..24be902a1b 100644
--- a/django/__init__.py
+++ b/django/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VERSION = (1, 6, 0, 'beta', 4)
+VERSION = (1, 6, 0, 'rc', 1)
 
 def get_version(*args, **kwargs):
     # Don't litter django/__init__.py with all the get_version stuff.