diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index cacf4b8947..d1c0a1b76a 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Changes in synapse v0.17.0-rc2 (2016-08-02)
+Changes in synapse v0.17.0-rc3 (2016-08-02)
 ===========================================
 
 Changes:
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ Bug fixes:
 * Fix adding emails on registration (PR #968)
 
 
+Changes in synapse v0.17.0-rc2 (2016-08-02)
+===========================================
+
+(This release did not include the changes advertised and was identical to RC1)
+
+
 Changes in synapse v0.17.0-rc1 (2016-07-28)
 ===========================================
 
diff --git a/synapse/__init__.py b/synapse/__init__.py
index 9899944977..67231e8d97 100644
--- a/synapse/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/__init__.py
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@
 """ This is a reference implementation of a Matrix home server.
 """
 
-__version__ = "0.17.0-rc2"
+__version__ = "0.17.0-rc3"