diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a6431ec3e..e2b6fca9f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# UNRELEASED
+# 5.16.0 RC 1
   - Changes from 5.15.1:
     - Guidance
       - ADDED #4676: Support for maneuver override relation, allowing data-driven overrides for turn-by-turn instructions [#4676](https://github.com/Project-OSRM/osrm-backend/pull/4676)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index a71b06623..e2e44652a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "osrm",
-  "version": "5.16.0-latest.1",
+  "version": "5.16.0-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": {