diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 419f1246f..b73de7ca8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #  initialize & set some vars
 # ============================
 
-AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.9.0dr2])
+AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.9.0rc1])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(m4_esyscmd([
 	echo tar-ustar
 	echo subdir-objects
diff --git a/testing/testing.conf b/testing/testing.conf
index e8c5f83ad..a56ac22aa 100644
--- a/testing/testing.conf
+++ b/testing/testing.conf
@@ -24,14 +24,14 @@ fi
 : ${TESTDIR=/srv/strongswan-testing}
 
 # Kernel configuration
-: ${KERNELVERSION=5.7}
+: ${KERNELVERSION=5.7.9}
 : ${KERNEL=linux-$KERNELVERSION}
 : ${KERNELTARBALL=$KERNEL.tar.xz}
 : ${KERNELCONFIG=$DIR/../config/kernel/config-5.7}
 : ${KERNELPATCH=ha-5.0-abicompat.patch.bz2}
 
 # strongSwan version used in tests
-: ${SWANVERSION=5.9.0dr2}
+: ${SWANVERSION=5.9.0rc1}
 
 # Build directory where the guest kernel and images will be built
 : ${BUILDDIR=$TESTDIR/build}