diff --git a/django/__init__.py b/django/__init__.py
index a21c3344f1d..7d05f7073ed 100644
--- a/django/__init__.py
+++ b/django/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VERSION = (1, 1, 0, 'beta', 1)
+VERSION = (1, 1, 0, 'rc', 1)
 
 def get_version():
     version = '%s.%s' % (VERSION[0], VERSION[1])