diff --git a/java/bom/pom.xml b/java/bom/pom.xml
index 4f09eca..baeb04c 100644
--- a/java/bom/pom.xml
+++ b/java/bom/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
   <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
   <artifactId>protobuf-bom</artifactId>
-  <version>4.30.3</version>
+  <version>4.30.3-rc1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
   <name>Protocol Buffers [BOM]</name>
@@ -43,17 +43,6 @@
     <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
   </properties>
 
-  <distributionManagement>
-    <snapshotRepository>
-      <id>sonatype-nexus-staging</id>
-      <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots</url>
-    </snapshotRepository>
-    <repository>
-      <id>sonatype-nexus-staging</id>
-      <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/</url>
-    </repository>
-  </distributionManagement>
-
   <dependencyManagement>
     <dependencies>
       <dependency>
@@ -97,17 +86,6 @@
                </execution>
             </executions>
           </plugin>
-          <plugin>
-            <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
-	    <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-            <version>1.6.6</version>
-            <extensions>true</extensions>
-            <configuration>
-              <nexusUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/</nexusUrl>
-              <serverId>sonatype-nexus-staging</serverId>
-              <autoReleaseAfterClose>false</autoReleaseAfterClose>
-            </configuration>
-          </plugin>
         </plugins>
       </build>
     </profile>
diff --git a/java/kotlin/pom.xml b/java/kotlin/pom.xml
index 07685b7..708bcc2 100644
--- a/java/kotlin/pom.xml
+++ b/java/kotlin/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
     <artifactId>protobuf-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>4.30.3</version>
+    <version>4.30.3-rc1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>protobuf-kotlin</artifactId>
diff --git a/java/pom.xml b/java/pom.xml
index 3f877de..eeee54f 100644
--- a/java/pom.xml
+++ b/java/pom.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
   <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
   <artifactId>protobuf-parent</artifactId>
-  <version>4.30.3</version>
+  <version>4.30.3-rc1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
   <name>Protocol Buffers [Parent]</name>
@@ -53,17 +53,6 @@
     <connection>scm:git:https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf.git</connection>
   </scm>
 
-  <distributionManagement>
-    <snapshotRepository>
-      <id>sonatype-nexus-staging</id>
-      <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/content/repositories/snapshots</url>
-    </snapshotRepository>
-    <repository>
-      <id>sonatype-nexus-staging</id>
-      <url>https://oss.sonatype.org/service/local/staging/deploy/maven2/</url>
-    </repository>
-  </distributionManagement>
-
   <dependencyManagement>
     <dependencies>
       <dependency>
@@ -253,17 +242,6 @@
             </executions>
           </plugin>
           <plugin>
-            <groupId>org.sonatype.plugins</groupId>
-            <artifactId>nexus-staging-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-            <version>1.6.6</version>
-            <extensions>true</extensions>
-            <configuration>
-              <serverId>sonatype-nexus-staging</serverId>
-              <nexusUrl>https://oss.sonatype.org/</nexusUrl>
-              <autoReleaseAfterClose>false</autoReleaseAfterClose>
-            </configuration>
-          </plugin>
-          <plugin>
             <groupId>org.jetbrains.dokka</groupId>
             <artifactId>dokka-maven-plugin</artifactId>
             <version>1.4.32</version>
diff --git a/java/protoc/pom.xml b/java/protoc/pom.xml
index 3f3696a..27236fe 100644
--- a/java/protoc/pom.xml
+++ b/java/protoc/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   </parent>
   <groupId>com.google.protobuf</groupId>
   <artifactId>protoc</artifactId>
-  <version>4.30.3</version>
+  <version>4.30.3-rc1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
   <name>Protobuf Compiler</name>
   <description>
diff --git a/protobuf_version.bzl b/protobuf_version.bzl
index 394754f..192fed3 100644
--- a/protobuf_version.bzl
+++ b/protobuf_version.bzl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """ Contains version numbers to be used in other bzl files """
 PROTOC_VERSION = "30.3"
-PROTOBUF_JAVA_VERSION = "4.30.3"
+PROTOBUF_JAVA_VERSION = "4.30.3-rc1"
 PROTOBUF_PYTHON_VERSION = "6.30.3"
 PROTOBUF_PHP_VERSION = "4.30.3"
 PROTOBUF_RUBY_VERSION = "4.30.3"