diff --git a/build/release.sh b/build/release.sh
index 8566411..5c25f92 100755
--- a/build/release.sh
+++ b/build/release.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ function usage() {
   echo "$0 <mode> <version> [<build>]"
   echo ""
   echo " mode : The mode. Choose one of 'build', 'publish' or 'buildandpublish'"
-  echo " version : The released version to build an docker image for (eg: 2.23.1, ${MAIN}-SNAPSHOT)"
+  echo " version : The released version to build an docker image for (eg: 2.23.1, ${MAIN}-SNAPSHOT, ${MAIN}-RC)"
   echo " build : Build number (optional)"
 }
 
@@ -26,18 +26,24 @@ else
   BUILD=$3
 fi
 
-if [[ "${VERSION:0:4}" == "$MAIN" ]]; then
-  # main branch snapshot release
-  BRANCH=main
-  TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$MAIN.x
+if [[ "$VERSION" == *"-RC"* ]]; then
+  	# release candidate branch release
+  	BRANCH="${VERSION:0:4}-RC"
+  	TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$BRANCH
 else
-  if [[ "$VERSION" == *"-SNAPSHOT"* ]]; then
-    # stable or maintenance branch snapshot release
-    BRANCH="${VERSION:0:4}.x"
-    TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$BRANCH
+  if [[ "${VERSION:0:4}" == "$MAIN" ]]; then
+    # main branch snapshot release
+    BRANCH=main
+    TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$MAIN.x
   else
-    BRANCH="${VERSION:0:4}.x"
-    TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$VERSION
+    if [[ "$VERSION" == *"-SNAPSHOT"* ]]; then
+  	# stable or maintenance branch snapshot release
+  	BRANCH="${VERSION:0:4}.x"
+  	TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$BRANCH
+    else
+  	BRANCH="${VERSION:0:4}.x"
+  	TAG=geoserver-docker.osgeo.org/geoserver:$VERSION
+    fi
   fi
 fi