diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 60645df65..5152ca1a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 **Note**: A feature tagged as Experimental is in a
 high state of flux, you're at risk of it changing without notice.
 
-# 2.10.0
+# 2.10.0-rc.1
 
 - **Deprecations**
   - deprecate `pipeable` module, use the specific helpers instead
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 59e62bfa5..7b5bf68c9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "fp-ts",
-  "version": "2.10.0",
+  "version": "2.10.0-rc.1",
   "description": "Functional programming in TypeScript",
   "main": "lib/index.js",
   "module": "es6/index.js",
diff --git a/scripts/release.ts b/scripts/release.ts
index 0554df72e..c9a177905 100644
--- a/scripts/release.ts
+++ b/scripts/release.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ const exec = (cmd: string, args?: child_process.ExecOptions): TE.TaskEither<Erro
     })
   })
 
-export const main = exec('npm publish', {
+export const main = exec('npm publish --tag=rc', {
   cwd: DIST
 })