diff --git a/accumulo/pom.xml b/accumulo/pom.xml
index 3e71def249..1911df2a56 100644
--- a/accumulo/pom.xml
+++ b/accumulo/pom.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   <artifactId>accumulo-binding</artifactId>
diff --git a/aerospike/pom.xml b/aerospike/pom.xml
index c2879a5070..7dbe92ace7 100644
--- a/aerospike/pom.xml
+++ b/aerospike/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/binding-parent/datastore-specific-descriptor/pom.xml b/binding-parent/datastore-specific-descriptor/pom.xml
index 83c24f26e6..2791f91f41 100644
--- a/binding-parent/datastore-specific-descriptor/pom.xml
+++ b/binding-parent/datastore-specific-descriptor/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>root</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../../</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/binding-parent/pom.xml b/binding-parent/pom.xml
index 6c91b2ef00..0754a2d97e 100644
--- a/binding-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/binding-parent/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>root</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
diff --git a/cassandra/pom.xml b/cassandra/pom.xml
index 07155bc11e..7868c68f85 100644
--- a/cassandra/pom.xml
+++ b/cassandra/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
      <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
      <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-     <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+     <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
      <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/cassandra2/pom.xml b/cassandra2/pom.xml
index e247c2f6b1..08ebb6b1a8 100644
--- a/cassandra2/pom.xml
+++ b/cassandra2/pom.xml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/core/pom.xml b/core/pom.xml
index 2dc3193d36..27435811bc 100644
--- a/core/pom.xml
+++ b/core/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>root</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
   </parent>
   
   <artifactId>core</artifactId>
diff --git a/couchbase/pom.xml b/couchbase/pom.xml
index 0163cc046e..4ac0ee94ca 100644
--- a/couchbase/pom.xml
+++ b/couchbase/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
         <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
         <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
     </parent>
 
diff --git a/distribution/pom.xml b/distribution/pom.xml
index ea89ea6e6d..410d3ed452 100644
--- a/distribution/pom.xml
+++ b/distribution/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>root</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
   </parent>
 
   <artifactId>ycsb</artifactId>
diff --git a/dynamodb/pom.xml b/dynamodb/pom.xml
index 15601ae70c..1ad2737719 100644
--- a/dynamodb/pom.xml
+++ b/dynamodb/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch/pom.xml b/elasticsearch/pom.xml
index 3f3b052a93..187ecea3ca 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/pom.xml
+++ b/elasticsearch/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
     <parent>
         <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
         <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-        <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+        <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
         <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
     </parent>
 
diff --git a/gemfire/pom.xml b/gemfire/pom.xml
index 25034ce3a4..e4de989aa8 100644
--- a/gemfire/pom.xml
+++ b/gemfire/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/hbase094/pom.xml b/hbase094/pom.xml
index 45aae3564e..a31c8797af 100644
--- a/hbase094/pom.xml
+++ b/hbase094/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent/</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/hbase098/pom.xml b/hbase098/pom.xml
index 9ca26845a7..f03523b391 100644
--- a/hbase098/pom.xml
+++ b/hbase098/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent/</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/hbase10/pom.xml b/hbase10/pom.xml
index 0eae0ec141..dad9d851a7 100644
--- a/hbase10/pom.xml
+++ b/hbase10/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent/</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/hypertable/pom.xml b/hypertable/pom.xml
index 9c1d32130a..2113509279 100644
--- a/hypertable/pom.xml
+++ b/hypertable/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/infinispan/pom.xml b/infinispan/pom.xml
index 5b0bf68d81..6ee2fb21de 100644
--- a/infinispan/pom.xml
+++ b/infinispan/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/jdbc/pom.xml b/jdbc/pom.xml
index de415c4964..43702065a5 100644
--- a/jdbc/pom.xml
+++ b/jdbc/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/kudu/pom.xml b/kudu/pom.xml
index 0cce21bee3..0aae954141 100644
--- a/kudu/pom.xml
+++ b/kudu/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/mapkeeper/pom.xml b/mapkeeper/pom.xml
index f0f11ac027..f68082ae20 100644
--- a/mapkeeper/pom.xml
+++ b/mapkeeper/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/mongodb/pom.xml b/mongodb/pom.xml
index f4869fa608..bf71977622 100644
--- a/mongodb/pom.xml
+++ b/mongodb/pom.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/nosqldb/pom.xml b/nosqldb/pom.xml
index 0fb3d465bc..dc5e73449c 100644
--- a/nosqldb/pom.xml
+++ b/nosqldb/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/orientdb/pom.xml b/orientdb/pom.xml
index cb0ff6cd05..e8f038d537 100644
--- a/orientdb/pom.xml
+++ b/orientdb/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
 	<parent>
 		<groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
                 <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-                <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+                <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
                 <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
 	</parent>
 
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index b08e1bb6fb..be3e37c79d 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
 
   <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
   <artifactId>root</artifactId>
-  <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
   <packaging>pom</packaging>
 
   <name>YCSB Root</name>
diff --git a/redis/pom.xml b/redis/pom.xml
index 636b3dc5e5..487640774c 100644
--- a/redis/pom.xml
+++ b/redis/pom.xml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
   </parent>
   
diff --git a/tarantool/pom.xml b/tarantool/pom.xml
index 43b8d53ef8..1bd8457d06 100644
--- a/tarantool/pom.xml
+++ b/tarantool/pom.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent/</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
diff --git a/voldemort/pom.xml b/voldemort/pom.xml
index 02c5f1c6b2..c157798817 100644
--- a/voldemort/pom.xml
+++ b/voldemort/pom.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ LICENSE file.
   <parent>
     <groupId>com.yahoo.ycsb</groupId>
     <artifactId>binding-parent</artifactId>
-    <version>0.5.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+    <version>0.5.0-RC1</version>
     <relativePath>../binding-parent</relativePath>
    </parent>