diff --git a/build-spring-framework/pom.xml b/build-spring-framework/pom.xml
index 53d58c05c0f..1312577c1c8 100644
--- a/build-spring-framework/pom.xml
+++ b/build-spring-framework/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <name>Spring Framework</name>
   <description>Spring is a layered Java/J2EE application platform, based on code published in Expert
   One-on-One J2EE Design and Development by Rod Johnson (Wrox, 2002). </description>
diff --git a/build-spring-framework/resources/readme.txt b/build-spring-framework/resources/readme.txt
index 241fbc1a2bd..041f7270a47 100644
--- a/build-spring-framework/resources/readme.txt
+++ b/build-spring-framework/resources/readme.txt
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-SPRING FRAMEWORK 3.0 M4 (August 2009)
+SPRING FRAMEWORK 3.0 RC1 (September 2009)
 -------------------------------------
 http://www.springframework.org
 
 1. INTRODUCTION
 
-This is the fourth milestone of Spring 3.0 which is scheduled for final release in Q3 2009.
-It is nearly feature complete, with only very specific areas still being worked on for RC1.
+This is the first release candidate of Spring 3.0 which is scheduled for final release in Q4 2009.
+It release is feature complete, but may still have some issues.
 
 2. RELEASE NOTES
 
diff --git a/build.properties b/build.properties
index c8ff4b5d3f4..0dd51b751ff 100644
--- a/build.properties
+++ b/build.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 version=3.0.0
-release.type=integration
+build.stamp=RC1
+release.type=milestone
 natural.name=spring-framework
 project.name=Spring Framework
 project.key=SPR
diff --git a/org.springframework.aop/pom.xml b/org.springframework.aop/pom.xml
index 5433aef5765..07fd8a45cb3 100644
--- a/org.springframework.aop/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.aop/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-aop</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.asm/pom.xml b/org.springframework.asm/pom.xml
index 36d4412917d..081c7e31818 100644
--- a/org.springframework.asm/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.asm/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-asm</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.aspects/pom.xml b/org.springframework.aspects/pom.xml
index e4fd535b598..c7234c6321b 100644
--- a/org.springframework.aspects/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.aspects/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-aspects</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/pom.xml b/org.springframework.beans/pom.xml
index b969b59e0a7..f7944fab77a 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-beans</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.context.support/pom.xml b/org.springframework.context.support/pom.xml
index 715d9637911..b14b0ea8b6f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context.support/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.context.support/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-context-support</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
 
diff --git a/org.springframework.context/pom.xml b/org.springframework.context/pom.xml
index 25b061d3863..ad8104d4cca 100644
--- a/org.springframework.context/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.context/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.core/pom.xml b/org.springframework.core/pom.xml
index ad0aaa9dc85..b2d3cd93dc0 100644
--- a/org.springframework.core/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.core/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/pom.xml b/org.springframework.expression/pom.xml
index e0a6ff64fcc..ca028de972e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-expression</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.instrument.tomcat/pom.xml b/org.springframework.instrument.tomcat/pom.xml
index a0495944cc0..41e7cfbe40c 100644
--- a/org.springframework.instrument.tomcat/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.instrument.tomcat/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-instrument-tomcat</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.instrument/pom.xml b/org.springframework.instrument/pom.xml
index 14f69b1761c..d5041df0b42 100644
--- a/org.springframework.instrument/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.instrument/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-instrument</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
 </project>
diff --git a/org.springframework.integration-tests/pom.xml b/org.springframework.integration-tests/pom.xml
index 5d8cec65188..8c4e8ac98a6 100644
--- a/org.springframework.integration-tests/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.integration-tests/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-integration-tests</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <dependencies>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.caucho</groupId>
diff --git a/org.springframework.jdbc/pom.xml b/org.springframework.jdbc/pom.xml
index aae259a0297..cb66e6ffda6 100644
--- a/org.springframework.jdbc/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.jdbc/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-jdbc</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
   <dependencies>
     <dependency>
diff --git a/org.springframework.jms/pom.xml b/org.springframework.jms/pom.xml
index 209bdedcc9e..5c1db52dbe4 100644
--- a/org.springframework.jms/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.jms/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-jms</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
@@ -57,37 +57,37 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-aop</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-beans</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-context</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-core</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-oxm</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
       <artifactId>spring-tx</artifactId>
-      <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+      <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
   </dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.orm/pom.xml b/org.springframework.orm/pom.xml
index b5639873433..3a18dec583e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.orm/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.orm/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-orm</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
   <dependencies>
     <dependency>
diff --git a/org.springframework.oxm/pom.xml b/org.springframework.oxm/pom.xml
index ed19a01b8f7..0a338899ba0 100644
--- a/org.springframework.oxm/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.oxm/pom.xml
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 	<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
 	<artifactId>spring-oxm</artifactId>
 	<packaging>jar</packaging>
-	<version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
 		<artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
 		<relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-		<version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+		<version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
 	</parent>
 
 	<dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.spring-library/pom.xml b/org.springframework.spring-library/pom.xml
index c416fc871e5..2b11e5c6080 100644
--- a/org.springframework.spring-library/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.spring-library/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-library</artifactId>
   <packaging>libd</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <name>Spring Framework</name>
   <description>Spring is a layered Java/J2EE application platform, based on code published in Expert
   One-on-One J2EE Design and Development by Rod Johnson (Wrox, 2002). </description>
diff --git a/org.springframework.spring-parent/pom.xml b/org.springframework.spring-parent/pom.xml
index 15ddf59cad7..79553a613b7 100644
--- a/org.springframework.spring-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.spring-parent/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <name>Spring Framework - Parent</name>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <description>Spring Framework Parent</description>
   <scm>
     <url>https://fisheye.springframework.org/browse/spring-framework</url>
diff --git a/org.springframework.test/pom.xml b/org.springframework.test/pom.xml
index 3518579246f..43fe96e927d 100644
--- a/org.springframework.test/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.test/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-test</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.transaction/pom.xml b/org.springframework.transaction/pom.xml
index e0f4cb80cfb..ee76fd7721f 100644
--- a/org.springframework.transaction/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.transaction/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-tx</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.portlet/pom.xml b/org.springframework.web.portlet/pom.xml
index dac389f9099..e0c4ddcc730 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.portlet/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.web.portlet/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-webmvc-portlet</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/pom.xml b/org.springframework.web.servlet/pom.xml
index 4a8942b00c2..51f9f90dd3d 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-webmvc</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <profiles>
diff --git a/org.springframework.web/pom.xml b/org.springframework.web/pom.xml
index d80ad87e19d..441050c5895 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web/pom.xml
+++ b/org.springframework.web/pom.xml
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
   <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
   <artifactId>spring-web</artifactId>
   <packaging>jar</packaging>
-  <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   <parent>
     <groupId>org.springframework</groupId>
     <artifactId>spring-parent</artifactId>
     <relativePath>../org.springframework.spring-parent</relativePath>
-    <version>3.0.0.BUILD-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>3.0.0.RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <dependencies>