diff --git a/Include/patchlevel.h b/Include/patchlevel.h
index f59e12ada13..1f481b1c121 100644
--- a/Include/patchlevel.h
+++ b/Include/patchlevel.h
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
 #define PY_MINOR_VERSION	6
 #define PY_MICRO_VERSION	0
 #define PY_RELEASE_LEVEL	PY_RELEASE_LEVEL_GAMMA
-#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	1
+#define PY_RELEASE_SERIAL	2
 
 /* Version as a string */
-#define PY_VERSION      	"3.6.0rc1+"
+#define PY_VERSION      	"3.6.0rc2"
 /*--end constants--*/
 
 /* Version as a single 4-byte hex number, e.g. 0x010502B2 == 1.5.2b2.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 26e34865fbd..dc2ac8d4016 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ Python News
 What's New in Python 3.6.0 release candidate 2
 ==============================================
 
-*Release date: XXXX-XX-XX*
+*Release date: 2016-12-16*
 
 Core and Builtins
 -----------------
diff --git a/README b/README
index f833c143cce..5d19ff1263f 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-This is Python version 3.6.0 release candidate 1
+This is Python version 3.6.0 release candidate 2
 ================================================
 
 Copyright (c) 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,