diff --git a/TAG b/TAG
index 387c8b7655c..3f903c4441c 100644
--- a/TAG
+++ b/TAG
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.6.5.p2-rc1
+2.6.5.p3-rc1
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 83355c2488a..d6346ff87ec 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+daos (2.6.5-6) unstable; urgency=medium
+  [ Phillip Henderson ]
+  * First release candidate for 2.6.5.p3
+
+ -- Phillip Henderson <phillip.henderson@hpe.com>  Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:11:00 -0500
+
 daos (2.6.5-5) unstable; urgency=medium
   [ Dalton Bohning ]
   * First release candidate for 2.6.5.p2
diff --git a/utils/rpms/daos.spec b/utils/rpms/daos.spec
index 2df4cee504f..91da2d4936d 100644
--- a/utils/rpms/daos.spec
+++ b/utils/rpms/daos.spec
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 Name:          daos
 Version:       2.6.5
-Release:       5%{?relval}%{?dist}
+Release:       6%{?relval}%{?dist}
 Summary:       DAOS Storage Engine
 
 License:       BSD-2-Clause-Patent
@@ -638,6 +638,9 @@ getent passwd daos_agent >/dev/null || useradd -s /sbin/nologin -r -g daos_agent
 # No files in a shim package
 
 %changelog
+* Mon Oct 26 2026 Phillip Henderson <phillip.henderson@hpe.com> 2.6.5-6
+- First release candidate for 2.6.5.p3
+
 * Mon Jul 27 2026 Dalton Bohning <dalton.bohning@hpe.com> 2.6.5-5
 - First release candidate for 2.6.5.p2