diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2c4d0354..7461a13b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ dnl said functions need to be just about as complex as they already are.
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.60)
 
-AC_INIT([charybdis], [4.1-dev])
+AC_INIT([charybdis], [4.1-rc1])
 
 AC_LANG(C)
 AC_USE_SYSTEM_EXTENSIONS