diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5d29c1323..e5e98d359 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #  initialize & set some vars
 # ============================
 
-AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.8.1rc1])
+AC_INIT([strongSwan],[5.8.1rc2])
 AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE(m4_esyscmd([
 	echo tar-ustar
 	echo subdir-objects
diff --git a/testing/testing.conf b/testing/testing.conf
index f21e1a1a7..2532697bb 100644
--- a/testing/testing.conf
+++ b/testing/testing.conf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fi
 : ${KERNELPATCH=ha-5.0-abicompat.patch.bz2}
 
 # strongSwan version used in tests
-: ${SWANVERSION=5.8.1rc1}
+: ${SWANVERSION=5.8.1rc2}
 
 # Build directory where the guest kernel and images will be built
 : ${BUILDDIR=$TESTDIR/build}