diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 40cc724b7..f21edea0d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Unreleased
+# 5.23.0-rc.1
   - Changes from 5.22.0
     - Build:
       - FIXED: pessimistic calls to std::move [#5560](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/5561)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5e884d51d..eb87dc7ff 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "osrm",
-  "version": "5.23.0-unreleased",
+  "version": "5.23.0-rc.1",
   "private": false,
   "description": "The Open Source Routing Machine is a high performance routing engine written in C++14 designed to run on OpenStreetMap data.",
   "dependencies": {