diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.committers.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.committers.feature/epp.website.xml
index 6ab2af4..97b1e02 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.committers.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.committers.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-committers-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-committers-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.feature/epp.website.xml
index f609667..d5a6f62 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.cpp.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@
   </packageMetaData>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-cpp-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-cpp-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.dsl.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.dsl.feature/epp.website.xml
index cb5f665..1dc915b 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.dsl.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.dsl.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-dsl-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-dsl-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.embedcpp.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.embedcpp.feature/epp.website.xml
index e02d8c6..54d81e6 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.embedcpp.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.embedcpp.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@
   </packageMetaData>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-embedcpp-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-embedcpp-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.java.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.java.feature/epp.website.xml
index ef5f787..dc4ba99 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.java.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.java.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@
 
 
 	<!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-	<product name="eclipse-java-2021-12-M3" />
+	<product name="eclipse-java-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.jee.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.jee.feature/epp.website.xml
index bda1ddb..f149f69 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.jee.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.jee.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-jee-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-jee-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.modeling.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.modeling.feature/epp.website.xml
index feddb13..41769fd 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.modeling.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.modeling.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-modeling-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-modeling-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.parallel.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.parallel.feature/epp.website.xml
index 2e97423..430de24 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.parallel.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.parallel.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
 	<!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-	<product name="eclipse-parallel-2021-12-M3" />
+	<product name="eclipse-parallel-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.php.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.php.feature/epp.website.xml
index 9cce623..3ce684a 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.php.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.php.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-php-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-php-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.rcp.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.rcp.feature/epp.website.xml
index 989519b..4493cd9 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.rcp.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.rcp.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-rcp-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-rcp-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.scout.feature/epp.website.xml b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.scout.feature/epp.website.xml
index 9caa593..333656a 100644
--- a/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.scout.feature/epp.website.xml
+++ b/packages/org.eclipse.epp.package.scout.feature/epp.website.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@
   </MoreInfo>
 
   <!-- name, the name of the product, used in naming the created files. -->
-  <product name="eclipse-scout-2021-12-M3" />
+  <product name="eclipse-scout-2021-12-RC1" />
 
 </configuration>
diff --git a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/parent/pom.xml b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/parent/pom.xml
index ab4781c..d1f0e81 100644
--- a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/parent/pom.xml
+++ b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/parent/pom.xml
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@
     <!-- The location that is used to assemble the single EPP configuration p2 repository -->
     <eclipse.epp.targetRepository>${eclipse.epp.archiveDirectory}/repository/</eclipse.epp.targetRepository>
     <!-- ID used to generate the filename of the packages -->
-    <eclipse.simultaneous.release.id>2021-12-M3</eclipse.simultaneous.release.id>
+    <eclipse.simultaneous.release.id>2021-12-RC1</eclipse.simultaneous.release.id>
     <!-- Timestamp used in various places, e.g. the about dialog (see about.mappings) -->
     <eclipse.simultaneous.release.build>${maven.build.timestamp}</eclipse.simultaneous.release.build>
     <!-- Human readable name of the release, e.g. used in the about dialog (see about.mappings) -->
-    <eclipse.simultaneous.release.name>2021-12 M3 (4.22.0 M3)</eclipse.simultaneous.release.name>
+    <eclipse.simultaneous.release.name>2021-12 RC1 (4.22.0 RC1)</eclipse.simultaneous.release.name>
     <!-- Upstream p2 repository, used as a source for pre-compiled build artifacts -->
     <eclipse.simultaneous.release.repository>https://download.eclipse.org/staging/2021-12/</eclipse.simultaneous.release.repository>
   </properties>
diff --git a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/promote-a-build.sh b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/promote-a-build.sh
index 7bc912d..85aa8d3 100755
--- a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/promote-a-build.sh
+++ b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/promote-a-build.sh
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 set -x # echo all commands used for debugging purposes
 
 RELEASE_NAME=2021-12
-RELEASE_MILESTONE=M3
-RELEASE_DIR=202111181200
+RELEASE_MILESTONE=RC1
+RELEASE_DIR=202111251200
 EPP_DOWNLOADS=/home/data/httpd/download.eclipse.org/technology/epp
 DOWNLOADS=${EPP_DOWNLOADS}/downloads/release/${RELEASE_NAME}/
 REPO=${EPP_DOWNLOADS}/packages/${RELEASE_NAME}/
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 <past>2021-03/R</past>
 <past>2021-06/R</past>
 <present>2021-09/R</present>
-<future>2021-12/M3</future>
+<future>2021-12/RC1</future>
 </packages>
 EOM
 $ECHO $SCP release.xml "${SSHUSER}:"${EPP_DOWNLOADS}/downloads/release/release.xml
diff --git a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/upload-to-staging.sh b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/upload-to-staging.sh
index b215b48..63abc84 100755
--- a/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/upload-to-staging.sh
+++ b/releng/org.eclipse.epp.config/tools/upload-to-staging.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 SCP="scp"
 
 RELEASE_NAME=2021-12
-RELEASE_MILESTONE=M3
+RELEASE_MILESTONE=RC1
 WORKSPACE=${WORKSPACE:-"${PWD}"}
 GIT_REPOSITORY=${GIT_REPOSITORY:-"org.eclipse.epp.packages"}
 BUILT_PACKAGES=$(cat packages.txt)