diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index ee908ca6a4c..aebb3853093 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -3,6 +3,23 @@ repositories (changes that are automatically handled by the format upgrade tools
 are not marked). Those prefixed with "(+)" are new command/option (since
 2.1.0~alpha2).
 
+2.2.0~rc1:
+* Fix `opam upgrade` wanting to recompile opam files containing the
+  `x-env-path-rewrite` field [#6029 @kit-ty-kate - fix #6028]
+* Provide defaults so `opam init -y` no longer asks questions
+  [#6033 @dra27 - fix #6013]
+* Fix OpamConsole.menu > 9 options [#6026 @kit-ty-kate]
+* Fix the lower-bound constraint on ocaml-re
+  (bump from >= 1.9.0 to >= 1.10.0) [#6016 @kit-ty-kate]
+* Update source file location as caml.inria.fr is unavailable
+  [#6032 #5789 @mtelvers @kit-ty-kate]
+* Fix a wrong use of `OpamFilename.of_string` [#6024 @kit-ty-kate]
+* Add Windows to opam's release script [#5789 @kit-ty-kate]
+* Improve and extend the tests [#6029 @kit-ty-kate]
+* API changes:
+  * `OpamTypesBase`: Add `nullify_pos_map` and `nullify_pos_value`
+    [#6029 @kit-ty-kate]
+
 2.2.0~beta3:
 * (+) New option `opam init --cygwin-extra-packages=CYGWIN_PKGS
   --cygwin-internal-install`, to specify additional packages for internal Cygwin
@@ -94,8 +111,6 @@ are not marked). Those prefixed with "(+)" are new command/option (since
 * Improve the benchmarks [#5909 @kit-ty-kate]
 * Improve the test infrastructure [#5935 #5938 #5998 @dra27]
 * API changes:
-
-
   * `OpamClient.init` and `OpamClient.reinit`: now can have additional cygwin
     packages to install [#5930 @moyodiallo]
   * `OpamClientConfig.opam_init`: add `original_root_dir` argument that
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fd8c021bcdb..6176a46e9a9 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /bin/sh
 # Guess values for system-dependent variables and create Makefiles.
-# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71 for opam 2.2.0~rc1~dev.
+# Generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71 for opam 2.2.0~rc1.
 #
 #
 # Copyright (C) 1992-1996, 1998-2017, 2020-2021 Free Software Foundation,
@@ -609,8 +609,8 @@ MAKEFLAGS=
 # Identity of this package.
 PACKAGE_NAME='opam'
 PACKAGE_TARNAME='opam'
-PACKAGE_VERSION='2.2.0~rc1~dev'
-PACKAGE_STRING='opam 2.2.0~rc1~dev'
+PACKAGE_VERSION='2.2.0~rc1'
+PACKAGE_STRING='opam 2.2.0~rc1'
 PACKAGE_BUGREPORT=''
 PACKAGE_URL=''
 
@@ -1334,7 +1334,7 @@ if test "$ac_init_help" = "long"; then
   # Omit some internal or obsolete options to make the list less imposing.
   # This message is too long to be a string in the A/UX 3.1 sh.
   cat <<_ACEOF
-\`configure' configures opam 2.2.0~rc1~dev to adapt to many kinds of systems.
+\`configure' configures opam 2.2.0~rc1 to adapt to many kinds of systems.
 
 Usage: $0 [OPTION]... [VAR=VALUE]...
 
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ fi
 
 if test -n "$ac_init_help"; then
   case $ac_init_help in
-     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of opam 2.2.0~rc1~dev:";;
+     short | recursive ) echo "Configuration of opam 2.2.0~rc1:";;
    esac
   cat <<\_ACEOF
 
@@ -1513,7 +1513,7 @@ fi
 test -n "$ac_init_help" && exit $ac_status
 if $ac_init_version; then
   cat <<\_ACEOF
-opam configure 2.2.0~rc1~dev
+opam configure 2.2.0~rc1
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71
 
 Copyright (C) 2021 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@@ -1710,7 +1710,7 @@ cat >config.log <<_ACEOF
 This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
 running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.
 
-It was created by opam $as_me 2.2.0~rc1~dev, which was
+It was created by opam $as_me 2.2.0~rc1, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71.  Invocation command line was
 
   $ $0$ac_configure_args_raw
@@ -7844,7 +7844,7 @@ cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<\_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 # report actual input values of CONFIG_FILES etc. instead of their
 # values after options handling.
 ac_log="
-This file was extended by opam $as_me 2.2.0~rc1~dev, which was
+This file was extended by opam $as_me 2.2.0~rc1, which was
 generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71.  Invocation command line was
 
   CONFIG_FILES    = $CONFIG_FILES
@@ -7899,7 +7899,7 @@ ac_cs_config_escaped=`printf "%s\n" "$ac_cs_config" | sed "s/^ //; s/'/'\\\\\\\\
 cat >>$CONFIG_STATUS <<_ACEOF || ac_write_fail=1
 ac_cs_config='$ac_cs_config_escaped'
 ac_cs_version="\\
-opam config.status 2.2.0~rc1~dev
+opam config.status 2.2.0~rc1
 configured by $0, generated by GNU Autoconf 2.71,
   with options \\"\$ac_cs_config\\"
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 92528024cac..13a77290c6a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 dnl The line below must be formatted AC_INIT([opam],[VERSION]) with no extra spaces
-AC_INIT([opam],[2.2.0~rc1~dev])
+AC_INIT([opam],[2.2.0~rc1])
 AC_COPYRIGHT(Copyright 2012-2019 OcamlPro SAS)
 
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
diff --git a/master_changes.md b/master_changes.md
index 04d32340323..1ab70ae3e4a 100644
--- a/master_changes.md
+++ b/master_changes.md
@@ -11,15 +11,12 @@ moved, etc.), please update the _API updates_ part (it helps opam library
 users)
 
 ## Version
-  * Bump the version number after the release of 2.2.0~beta3 [#6009 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## Global CLI
-  * Fix OpamConsole.menu > 9 options [#6026 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## Plugins
 
 ## Init
-  * Provide defaults so `opam init -y` no longer asks questions [#6033 @dra27 fix #6013]
 
 ## Config report
 
@@ -42,7 +39,6 @@ users)
 ## Var/Option
 
 ## Update / Upgrade
-  * Fix `opam upgrade` wanting to recompile opam files containing the `x-env-path-rewrite` field [#6029 @kit-ty-kate - fix #6028]
 
 ## Tree
 
@@ -71,13 +67,10 @@ users)
 ## VCS
 
 ## Build
-  * Fix the lower-bound constraint on ocaml-re (bump from >= 1.9.0 to >= 1.10.0) [#6016 @kit-ty-kate]
-  * Update source file location as caml.inria.fr is unavailable [#6032 #5789 @mtelvers @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## Infrastructure
 
 ## Release scripts
-  * Add windows to the release script [#5789 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## Install script
 
@@ -96,7 +89,6 @@ users)
 ## Shell
 
 ## Internal
-  * Fix a wrong use of `OpamFilename.of_string` [#6024 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## Internal: Windows
 
@@ -106,7 +98,6 @@ users)
 
 ## Reftests
 ### Tests
-  * add a complete test to make sure effectively_equal does not take the location of the fields into account [#6029 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ### Engine
 
@@ -126,6 +117,5 @@ users)
 ## opam-solver
 
 ## opam-format
-  * `OpamTypesBase`: Add `nullify_pos_map` and `nullify_pos_value` [#6029 @kit-ty-kate]
 
 ## opam-core
diff --git a/opam-client.opam b/opam-client.opam
index e6e4e112951..b86107185b2 100644
--- a/opam-client.opam
+++ b/opam-client.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Client library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 Actions on the opam root, switches, installations, and front-end.
diff --git a/opam-core.opam b/opam-core.opam
index 31563337392..2e11d11fecd 100644
--- a/opam-core.opam
+++ b/opam-core.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Core library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 Small standard library extensions, and generic system interaction modules used by opam.
diff --git a/opam-devel.opam b/opam-devel.opam
index 275dbcb4884..13a495a6748 100644
--- a/opam-devel.opam
+++ b/opam-devel.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Bootstrapped development binary for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 This package compiles (bootstraps) opam. For consistency and safety of the installation, the binaries are not installed into the PATH, but into lib/opam-devel, from where the user can manually install them system-wide.
diff --git a/opam-format.opam b/opam-format.opam
index 936f4f7b0f2..e8dfe6393cc 100644
--- a/opam-format.opam
+++ b/opam-format.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Format library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 Definition of opam datastructures and its file interface.
diff --git a/opam-installer.opam b/opam-installer.opam
index d4376dec255..8c1080d22f5 100644
--- a/opam-installer.opam
+++ b/opam-installer.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Installation of files to a prefix, following opam conventions"
 description: """
 opam-installer is a small tool that can read *.install files, as defined by opam [1], and execute them to install or remove package files without going through opam.
diff --git a/opam-repository.opam b/opam-repository.opam
index 843aaca93a4..cdb26c89ec1 100644
--- a/opam-repository.opam
+++ b/opam-repository.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Repository library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 This library includes repository and remote sources handling, including curl/wget, rsync, git, mercurial, darcs backends.
diff --git a/opam-solver.opam b/opam-solver.opam
index 0a948f8d698..6f4e3035fbe 100644
--- a/opam-solver.opam
+++ b/opam-solver.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Solver library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 Solver and Cudf interaction. This library is based on the Cudf and Dose libraries, and handles calls to the external solver from opam.
diff --git a/opam-state.opam b/opam-state.opam
index 55e128192e9..797037da8c8 100644
--- a/opam-state.opam
+++ b/opam-state.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "State library for opam 2.2"
 description: """
 Handling of the ~/.opam hierarchy, repository and switch states.
diff --git a/opam.opam b/opam.opam
index e2f5e06b621..385ef14f993 100644
--- a/opam.opam
+++ b/opam.opam
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 opam-version: "2.0"
-version: "2.2.0~rc1~dev"
+version: "2.2.0~rc1"
 synopsis: "Meta-package for Dune"
 maintainer: "opam-devel@lists.ocaml.org"
 authors: [