diff --git a/.github/workflows/update.yaml b/.github/workflows/update.yaml
index afb3a69f..28dfc6c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/update.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/update.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ jobs:
 
           bump_version() {
             local LATEST_VERSION=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" https://api.github.com/repos/fluxcd/$1/releases | jq -r 'sort_by(.published_at) | .[-1] | .tag_name')
+
+            if [[ "$LATEST_VERSION" == *"-rc"* ]]; then
+              echo "Skipping release candidate version for $1: $LATEST_VERSION"
+              return
+            fi
+
             local CTRL_VERSION=$(sed -n "s/.*$1\/releases\/download\/\(.*\)\/.*/\1/p;n" manifests/bases/$1/kustomization.yaml)
             local CRD_VERSION=$(sed -n "s/.*$1\/releases\/download\/\(.*\)\/.*/\1/p" manifests/crds/kustomization.yaml)
             local MOD_VERSION=$(go list -m -f '{{ .Version }}' "github.com/fluxcd/$1/api")