diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 70a22861d5a2423ae90ac517e745fee3575153d3..30cfce6e9cf6173856e8a542e3f88b28d0a54fa0 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.5.3-beta1
+1.5.3-rc1