diff --git a/bin/lein b/bin/lein
index e992d52cc..7e7a77f1e 100755
--- a/bin/lein
+++ b/bin/lein
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # somewhere on your $PATH, like ~/bin. The rest of Leiningen will be
 # installed upon first run into the ~/.lein/self-installs directory.
 
-export LEIN_VERSION="2.8.0-SNAPSHOT"
+export LEIN_VERSION="2.8.0-RC1"
 
 case $LEIN_VERSION in
     *SNAPSHOT) SNAPSHOT="YES" ;;
diff --git a/bin/lein-pkg b/bin/lein-pkg
index edd8bac63..2c940d73f 100644
--- a/bin/lein-pkg
+++ b/bin/lein-pkg
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # It has all the cross-platform stuff stripped out as well as the
 # logic for running from a source checkout and self-install/upgrading.
 
-export LEIN_VERSION="2.8.0-SNAPSHOT"
+export LEIN_VERSION="2.8.0-RC1"
 
 # cd to the project root, if applicable
 NOT_FOUND=1
diff --git a/bin/lein.bat b/bin/lein.bat
index 4f9eca3e5..3f303ce3a 100755
--- a/bin/lein.bat
+++ b/bin/lein.bat
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 setLocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
 
-set LEIN_VERSION=2.8.0-SNAPSHOT
+set LEIN_VERSION=2.8.0-RC1
 
 if "%LEIN_VERSION:~-9%" == "-SNAPSHOT" (
     set SNAPSHOT=YES
diff --git a/bin/lein.ps1 b/bin/lein.ps1
index 429816830..bc66b3bfb 100644
--- a/bin/lein.ps1
+++ b/bin/lein.ps1
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function Set-ParentLocation([string]$file)
 
 function Initialize-Environment
 {
-    $env:LEIN_VERSION = '2.8.0-SNAPSHOT'
+    $env:LEIN_VERSION = '2.8.0-RC1'
     $env:SNAPSHOT = if($env:LEIN_VERSION -like '*-SNAPSHOT'){'YES'}else{'NO'} #TODO: Still needed?
     $env:ORIGINAL_PWD = $PWD -replace '\\$','\\'
     Set-ParentLocation project.clj
diff --git a/leiningen-core/pom.xml b/leiningen-core/pom.xml
index 2bf926545..4c4551032 100644
--- a/leiningen-core/pom.xml
+++ b/leiningen-core/pom.xml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   <groupId>leiningen-core</groupId>
   <artifactId>leiningen-core</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>2.8.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>2.8.0-RC1</version>
   <name>leiningen-core</name>
   <description>Library for core functionality of Leiningen.</description>
   <url>https://github.com/technomancy/leiningen</url>
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     </license>
   </licenses>
   <scm>
-    <tag>776090390c7c2ae4811e5a1996d7a581a7e7c8ea
+    <tag>267e16ab1f65418cdba98d9b1673d0f7ae787880
 </tag>
     <url/>
   </scm>
diff --git a/leiningen-core/project.clj b/leiningen-core/project.clj
index ce5f0b7fe..e07806591 100644
--- a/leiningen-core/project.clj
+++ b/leiningen-core/project.clj
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-(defproject leiningen-core "2.8.0-SNAPSHOT"
+(defproject leiningen-core "2.8.0-RC1"
   :url "https://github.com/technomancy/leiningen"
   :license {:name "Eclipse Public License"
             :url "http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html"}
diff --git a/project.clj b/project.clj
index 95fb7fcf3..967e7eedd 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/project.clj
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 ;; This is Leiningen's own project configuration. See doc/TUTORIAL.md
 ;; file as well as sample.project.clj for help writing your own.
 
-(defproject leiningen "2.8.0-SNAPSHOT"
+(defproject leiningen "2.8.0-RC1"
   :description "Automate Clojure projects without setting your hair on fire."
   :url "https://github.com/technomancy/leiningen"
   :license {:name "Eclipse Public License"
             :url "http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html"}
-  :dependencies [[leiningen-core "2.8.0-SNAPSHOT"]
+  :dependencies [[leiningen-core "2.8.0-RC1"]
                  ;; needed for pom
                  [org.clojure/data.xml "0.0.8"]
                  ;; needed for test