diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cd9145c0878d67eaa8d9f3a06f7096f1f17fefca..79ad2bfa24b68f279af011f82e87f16d64d1440d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0
 VERSION = 4
-PATCHLEVEL = 15
+PATCHLEVEL = 16
 SUBLEVEL = 0
-EXTRAVERSION =
+EXTRAVERSION = -rc1
 NAME = Fearless Coyote
 
 # *DOCUMENTATION*