diff --git a/.github/prerelease-please-manifest.json b/.github/prerelease-please-manifest.json
index 12bae1df3..86b4d00f6 100644
--- a/.github/prerelease-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.github/prerelease-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "9.25.0-rc"
+  ".": "9.25.0-rc.1"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5fab4663f..c68b64969 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,25 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [9.25.0-rc.1](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/compare/v9.25.0-rc...v9.25.0-rc.1) (2026-08-31)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **server-nestjs:** make GitLab CI variable provisioning idempotent ([1d38746](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/1d38746c036afdc00ca707f49361f9775a0806c8))
+* **server-nestjs:** restore accidentally deleted GitLab client tests ([a835e6e](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/a835e6ec2df6793fc65a117ffe671fb50e65cc32))
+* **server-nestjs:** use optional chaining in GitLab variable reconcile guards ([899b4be](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/899b4be032cc821f5b542b1ad34fa2294e7cbfa2))
+
+
+### Docs
+
+* **ci:** finalize release doc with lessons learned around prereleases and releases ([ae0b57f](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/ae0b57f630a9b13f4bcddd3058f6156902bacf1c))
+* update RELEASE for quick RC test ([16b1b2a](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/16b1b2a7f8b51b23de1e7e7842a5fb403697d507))
+
+
+### Refactoring
+
+* **server-nestjs:** uniformize error type guards in module utils ([ff8eb1b](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/commit/ff8eb1b893c4a2f90f881d15f7c5a4fbd9a3fdd1))
+
 ## [9.25.0-rc](https://github.com/cloud-pi-native/console/compare/v9.24.0...v9.25.0-rc) (2026-08-28)
 
 
diff --git a/apps/client/package.json b/apps/client/package.json
index c84c7cc51..4ee92c717 100644
--- a/apps/client/package.json
+++ b/apps/client/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@cpn-console/client",
   "type": "module",
-  "version": "9.25.0-rc",
+  "version": "9.25.0-rc.1",
   "private": false,
   "description": "cpn-console client",
   "repository": {
diff --git a/apps/server-nestjs/package.json b/apps/server-nestjs/package.json
index 5620950ea..68e231b43 100644
--- a/apps/server-nestjs/package.json
+++ b/apps/server-nestjs/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@cpn-console/server-nestjs",
-  "version": "9.25.0-rc",
+  "version": "9.25.0-rc.1",
   "private": true,
   "description": "",
   "author": "",
diff --git a/apps/server/package.json b/apps/server/package.json
index 4f7d5f60f..48cd8bb26 100644
--- a/apps/server/package.json
+++ b/apps/server/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@cpn-console/server",
   "type": "module",
-  "version": "9.25.0-rc",
+  "version": "9.25.0-rc.1",
   "description": "cpn-console server",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8968f17d9..fb619a2a8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "@cpn-console/root",
   "type": "module",
-  "version": "9.25.0-rc",
+  "version": "9.25.0-rc.1",
   "private": true,
   "packageManager": "pnpm@11.8.0+sha512.c1f5e7c4cb241c8f174b743851d82f42b802324afc8b0f116b96adb15aa06664948dde36960a3ba1079ba5b4b29dd0140135b94b5b5f5263592249d68e555f26",
   "repository": {