diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7141a9a03..170e0e06c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@ define(_CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR, 0)
 define(_CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR, 17)
 define(_CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION, 99)
 define(_CLIENT_VERSION_BUILD, 0)
+define(_CLIENT_VERSION_RC, 0)
 define(_CLIENT_VERSION_IS_RELEASE, false)
 define(_COPYRIGHT_YEAR, 2018)
 define(_COPYRIGHT_HOLDERS,[The %s developers])
 define(_COPYRIGHT_HOLDERS_SUBSTITUTION,[[Bitcoin Core]])
-AC_INIT([Bitcoin Core],[_CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR._CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR._CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION],[https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues],[bitcoin],[https://bitcoincore.org/])
+AC_INIT([Bitcoin Core],m4_join([.], _CLIENT_VERSION_MAJOR, _CLIENT_VERSION_MINOR, _CLIENT_VERSION_REVISION, m4_if(_CLIENT_VERSION_BUILD, [0], [], _CLIENT_VERSION_BUILD))m4_if(_CLIENT_VERSION_RC, [0], [], [rc]_CLIENT_VERSION_RC),[https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues],[bitcoin],[https://bitcoincore.org/])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([src/validation.cpp])
 AC_CONFIG_HEADERS([src/config/bitcoin-config.h])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
diff --git a/doc/release-process.md b/doc/release-process.md
index f2fe44c8b..dafb32512 100644
--- a/doc/release-process.md
+++ b/doc/release-process.md
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ Before every release candidate:
 * Update translations (ping wumpus on IRC) see [translation_process.md](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/translation_process.md#synchronising-translations).
 
 * Update manpages, see [gen-manpages.sh](https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/contrib/devtools/README.md#gen-manpagessh).
+* Update release candidate version in `configure.ac` (`CLIENT_VERSION_RC`)
 
 Before every minor and major release:
 
 * Update [bips.md](bips.md) to account for changes since the last release.
-* Update version in `configure.ac` (don't forget to set `CLIENT_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` to `true`)
+* Update version in `configure.ac` (don't forget to set `CLIENT_VERSION_IS_RELEASE` to `true`) (don't forget to set `CLIENT_VERSION_RC` to `0`)
 * Write release notes (see below)
 * Update `src/chainparams.cpp` nMinimumChainWork with information from the getblockchaininfo rpc.
 * Update `src/chainparams.cpp` defaultAssumeValid with information from the getblockhash rpc.