diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index ad38a82..124a191 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -68,7 +68,15 @@ jobs:
             tag="v$version"
             echo "is_prerelease=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           else
-            tag="v$version-rc.${{ github.run_number }}"
+            git fetch --tags --force
+            existing_rc_tags=$(git tag -l "v$version-rc.*")
+            if [ -z "$existing_rc_tags" ]; then
+              next_rc=1
+            else
+              max_rc=$(echo "$existing_rc_tags" | sed -E 's/.*-rc\.([0-9]+)$/\1/' | sort -n | tail -1)
+              next_rc=$((max_rc + 1))
+            fi
+            tag="v$version-rc.$next_rc"
             echo "is_prerelease=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           fi
           echo "tag=$tag" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 4c62cfd..c827b76 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ node scripts/bump-version.js [major|minor|patch]
 
 ### Release types
 
-| Branch    | Tag                      | Type                              |
-| --------- | ------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
-| `main`    | `v1.0.0`                 | Full release (marked as `latest`) |
-| `staging` | `v1.0.0-rc.<run_number>` | Release candidate (prerelease)    |
+| Branch    | Tag             | Type                              |
+| --------- | --------------- | --------------------------------- |
+| `main`    | `v1.0.0`        | Full release (marked as `latest`) |
+| `staging` | `v1.0.0-rc.<n>` | Release candidate (prerelease)    |
 
 ### Artifacts