diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 14aac9f14e..f0885a2f1e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,24 @@
+Synapse 1.85.0rc2 (2023-06-01)
+==============================
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix a performance issue introduced in Synapse v1.83.0 which meant that purging rooms was very slow and database-intensive. ([\#15693](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/15693))
+
+
+Deprecations and Removals
+-------------------------
+
+- Deprecate calling the `/register` endpoint with an unspecced `user` property for application services. ([\#15703](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/15703))
+
+
+Internal Changes
+----------------
+
+- Speed up background jobs `populate_full_user_id_user_filters` and `populate_full_user_id_profiles`. ([\#15700](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/15700))
+
+
 Synapse 1.85.0rc1 (2023-05-30)
 ==============================
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/15693.bugfix b/changelog.d/15693.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index d0325de007..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/15693.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a performance issue introduced in Synapse v1.83.0 which meant that purging rooms was very slow and database-intensive.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/15700.misc b/changelog.d/15700.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index e96bc681aa..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/15700.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Speed up background jobs `populate_full_user_id_user_filters` and `populate_full_user_id_profiles`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/changelog.d/15703.removal b/changelog.d/15703.removal
deleted file mode 100644
index 95a2d8e484..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/15703.removal
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Deprecate calling the `/register` endpoint with an unspecced `user` property for application services.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 2d88cd9d29..ae348ce4df 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.85.0~rc2) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New Synapse release 1.85.0rc2.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:16:18 -0700
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.85.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New Synapse release 1.85.0rc1.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7227bc7523..4ed4214f34 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ manifest-path = "rust/Cargo.toml"
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "matrix-synapse"
-version = "1.85.0rc1"
+version = "1.85.0rc2"
 description = "Homeserver for the Matrix decentralised comms protocol"
 authors = ["Matrix.org Team and Contributors <packages@matrix.org>"]
 license = "Apache-2.0"