diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 971445f..8c5cea0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Validate tag
         run: |
-          if ! echo "$VERSION_NUM" | grep -qE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+$'; then
-            echo "Tag $VERSION_NUM does not follow semantic version pattern (x.y.z). Skipping release."
+          if ! echo "$VERSION_NUM" | grep -qE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+(-rc\.[0-9]+)?$'; then
+            echo "Tag $VERSION_NUM does not follow semantic version pattern (x.y.z or x.y.z-rc.N). Skipping release."
             exit 78  # neutral exit code
           fi
           echo "Tag $VERSION_NUM follows valid semantic version pattern"
@@ -90,6 +90,13 @@ jobs:
       
       - name: Create GitHub release
         run: |
+          # Check if this is a release candidate
+          PRERELEASE_FLAG=""
+          if echo "$VERSION_NUM" | grep -qE '^[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+-rc\.[0-9]+$'; then
+            PRERELEASE_FLAG="--prerelease"
+            echo "Detected release candidate version, will mark as prerelease"
+          fi
+          
           # Check if release already exists. Needed when release created via new release in guthub ui
           if gh release view "$VERSION_NUM" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
             echo "Release for tag $VERSION_NUM already exists, uploading additional assets..."
@@ -98,7 +105,8 @@ jobs:
             echo "Creating new release for tag $VERSION_NUM..."
             gh release create "$VERSION_NUM" ./*.tar.gz \
               --title "Release $VERSION_NUM" \
-              --notes "Release $VERSION_NUM"
+              --notes "Release $VERSION_NUM" \
+              $PRERELEASE_FLAG
           fi
   handle-failures:
     name: Handle Failures