diff --git a/Documentation/RelNotes/2.39.0.txt b/Documentation/RelNotes/2.39.0.txt
index fde4925..bb649e4 100644
--- a/Documentation/RelNotes/2.39.0.txt
+++ b/Documentation/RelNotes/2.39.0.txt
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@
  * `parse_object()` has been hardened to check for the existence of a
    suspected blob object.
 
+ * Adjust the documentation build procedure to GNUmake version 4.4,
+   which made some changes to how pattern rule with multiple targets
+   are handled.
+
 
 Fixes since v2.38
 -----------------
diff --git a/GIT-VERSION-GEN b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
index 5127f18..551f16d 100755
--- a/GIT-VERSION-GEN
+++ b/GIT-VERSION-GEN
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 GVF=GIT-VERSION-FILE
-DEF_VER=v2.39.0-rc0
+DEF_VER=v2.39.0-rc1
 
 LF='
 '