diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 8adc70f..edb83cf 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.8.0
\ No newline at end of file
+0.8.0-rc1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/sql_runner/main.go b/sql_runner/main.go
index 2b83b89..7282dec 100644
--- a/sql_runner/main.go
+++ b/sql_runner/main.go
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	CLI_NAME        = "sql-runner"
 	CLI_DESCRIPTION = `Run playbooks of SQL scripts in series and parallel on Redshift and Postgres`
-	CLI_VERSION     = "0.8.0"
+	CLI_VERSION     = "0.8.0-rc1"
 
 	SQLROOT_BINARY         = "BINARY"
 	SQLROOT_PLAYBOOK       = "PLAYBOOK"