diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 79e17e086..36f4b2531 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 #  initialize & set some vars
 # ============================
 
-AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.9.11dr3])
+AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.9.11rc1])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(m4_esyscmd([
 	echo tar-ustar
 	echo subdir-objects
diff --git a/testing/testing.conf b/testing/testing.conf
index 76cc47cba..0179e3e55 100644
--- a/testing/testing.conf
+++ b/testing/testing.conf
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@ fi
 : ${TESTDIR=/srv/strongswan-testing}
 
 # Kernel configuration
-: ${KERNELVERSION=6.2.12}
+: ${KERNELVERSION=6.2.16}
 : ${KERNEL=linux-$KERNELVERSION}
 : ${KERNELTARBALL=$KERNEL.tar.xz}
 : ${KERNELCONFIG=$DIR/../config/kernel/config-6.2}
 : ${KERNELPATCH=ha-6.1-abicompat.patch.bz2}
 
 # strongSwan version used in tests
-: ${SWANVERSION=5.9.11dr3}
+: ${SWANVERSION=5.9.11rc1}
 
 # Build directory where the guest kernel and images will be built
 : ${BUILDDIR=$TESTDIR/build}