diff --git a/.mokogitea/workflows/auto-bump.yml b/.mokogitea/workflows/auto-bump.yml
index dee20d6..fb9dc82 100644
--- a/.mokogitea/workflows/auto-bump.yml
+++ b/.mokogitea/workflows/auto-bump.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ on:
   push:
     branches:
       - dev
+      - rc
       - 'feature/**'
       - 'patch/**'
 
diff --git a/cli/release_publish.php b/cli/release_publish.php
index 30c97b2..73d5b0a 100644
--- a/cli/release_publish.php
+++ b/cli/release_publish.php
@@ -187,17 +187,25 @@ if (!$dryRun) {
     echo "[DRY-RUN] Would build and upload {$releaseVersion} to {$releaseTag}\n";
 }
 
-// -- Step 4: Create copies for all lesser stability streams --
-echo "\n--- Step 4: Create copies for lesser streams ---\n";
+// -- Step 4: Build separate packages for all lesser stability streams --
+// Each stream gets its own ZIP with the correct version INSIDE templateDetails.xml.
+// Joomla reads version from the ZIP after install, so it must match.
+echo "\n--- Step 4: Build packages for lesser streams ---\n";
 for ($i = 0; $i < $stabilityIndex; $i++) {
     $lesserStability = $allStabilities[$i];
     $lesserTag = $releaseTagMap[$lesserStability];
     $lesserVersion = $baseVersion . $suffixMap[$lesserStability];
 
-    echo "  Creating {$lesserStability} release: {$lesserVersion}\n";
+    echo "  Building {$lesserStability} release: {$lesserVersion}\n";
 
     if (!$dryRun) {
-        // Create or update the lesser release with the same package
+        // Set version to lesser stream's suffixed version in source files
+        passthru("{$php} {$cli}/version_set_platform.php --path " . escapeshellarg($path)
+            . " --version " . escapeshellarg($baseVersion)
+            . " --branch " . escapeshellarg($lesserStability)
+            . " --stability " . escapeshellarg($lesserStability) . " 2>/dev/null");
+
+        // Create release tag
         passthru("{$php} {$cli}/release_create.php --path " . escapeshellarg($path)
             . " --version " . escapeshellarg($lesserVersion)
             . " --tag " . escapeshellarg($lesserTag)
@@ -206,7 +214,7 @@ for ($i = 0; $i < $stabilityIndex; $i++) {
             . " --repo " . escapeshellarg($repo)
             . " --branch " . escapeshellarg($branch) . " 2>&1");
 
-        // Upload the same package to the lesser release
+        // Build and upload package (ZIP will contain the lesser version)
         passthru("{$php} {$cli}/release_package.php --path " . escapeshellarg($path)
             . " --version " . escapeshellarg($lesserVersion)
             . " --tag " . escapeshellarg($lesserTag)
@@ -214,9 +222,19 @@ for ($i = 0; $i < $stabilityIndex; $i++) {
             . " --api-base " . escapeshellarg($apiBase)
             . " --repo " . escapeshellarg($repo)
             . " --output /tmp 2>&1");
+    } else {
+        echo "  [DRY-RUN] Would build {$lesserVersion} ZIP and upload to {$lesserTag}\n";
     }
 }
 
+// Restore primary release version in source files
+if (!$dryRun && $stabilityIndex > 0) {
+    passthru("{$php} {$cli}/version_set_platform.php --path " . escapeshellarg($path)
+        . " --version " . escapeshellarg($baseVersion)
+        . " --branch " . escapeshellarg($branch)
+        . " --stability " . escapeshellarg($stability) . " 2>/dev/null");
+}
+
 // -- Step 5: Update ALL streams in updates.xml --
 echo "\n--- Step 5: Update updates.xml for ALL streams ---\n";
 // Write entry for the primary stream and all lesser streams