diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index bfc6a2aeb..c60e7a9f2 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
    {
-     "dependencies": "1.5.15",
+     "dependencies": "1.5.16-rc1",
      "boms/cloud-lts-bom": "9.0.1"
-   }
+}
diff --git a/dependencies/CHANGELOG.md b/dependencies/CHANGELOG.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f7de4c703
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dependencies/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Changelog
+
+## [1.5.16-rc1](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/compare/dependencies-v1.5.15...dependencies-v1.5.16-rc1) (2025-12-04)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* next release candidate ([5949dbf](https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/commit/5949dbf8663bad770285a63e0dddba1a6a71ea86))
diff --git a/dependencies/pom.xml b/dependencies/pom.xml
index 69bd85b9a..27a2d336f 100644
--- a/dependencies/pom.xml
+++ b/dependencies/pom.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
     <artifactId>dependencies-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>1.5.16-SNAPSHOT</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
+    <version>1.5.16-rc1</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>dependencies</artifactId>
diff --git a/dependencies/versions.txt b/dependencies/versions.txt
index 18c2d98c6..6a3bcc5d8 100644
--- a/dependencies/versions.txt
+++ b/dependencies/versions.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 # Format:
 # module:released-version:current-version
 
-dependencies:1.5.15:1.5.16-SNAPSHOT
+dependencies:1.5.16-rc1:1.5.16-rc1
diff --git a/enforcer-rules/pom.xml b/enforcer-rules/pom.xml
index 6f4147ac2..c763e1b3d 100644
--- a/enforcer-rules/pom.xml
+++ b/enforcer-rules/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
     <artifactId>dependencies-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>1.5.16-SNAPSHOT</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
+    <version>1.5.16-rc1</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>linkage-checker-enforcer-rules</artifactId>
diff --git a/gradle-plugin/build.gradle b/gradle-plugin/build.gradle
index d921ff18d..06fcd8448 100644
--- a/gradle-plugin/build.gradle
+++ b/gradle-plugin/build.gradle
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ group = 'com.google.cloud.tools'
 
 sourceCompatibility = 1.8
 
-version = '1.5.16-SNAPSHOT' // {x-version-update:dependencies:current}
+version = '1.5.16-rc1' // {x-version-update:dependencies:current}
 
 dependencies {
   implementation "com.google.cloud.tools:dependencies:$version"
diff --git a/linkage-monitor/pom.xml b/linkage-monitor/pom.xml
index 229975e4a..215a23b4b 100644
--- a/linkage-monitor/pom.xml
+++ b/linkage-monitor/pom.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
     <artifactId>dependencies-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>1.5.16-SNAPSHOT</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
+    <version>1.5.16-rc1</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>linkage-monitor</artifactId>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 215bbe848..c006176cf 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
   <artifactId>dependencies-parent</artifactId>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
-  <version>1.5.16-SNAPSHOT</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
+  <version>1.5.16-rc1</version><!-- {x-version-update:dependencies:current} -->
 
   <name>Cloud Tools Open Source Code Hygiene Tooling</name>
   <url>https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/</url>