diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
index 19fc7ada523..b7f668a20c8 100644
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
+++ b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,28 @@ ansible-core 2.17 "Gallows Pole" Release Notes
 
 .. contents:: Topics
 
+v2.17.13rc1
+===========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2025-07-08
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
+
+Minor Changes
+-------------
+
+- ansible-test - Add RHEL 10.0 as a remote platform for testing.
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- ansible-doc will no longer ignore docs for modules without an extension (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85279).
+- ansible-test - Fix Python relative import resolution from ``__init__.py`` files when using change detection.
+- user - Set timeout for passphrase interaction.
+- user - Update prompt for SSH key passphrase (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84484).
+
 v2.17.12
 ========
 
diff --git a/changelogs/changelog.yaml b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
index 78e58e7b179..2094303be5f 100644
--- a/changelogs/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
@@ -797,6 +797,29 @@ releases:
     - ensure_remote_perms.yml
     - win-script-become.yml
     release_date: '2025-05-12'
+  2.17.13rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - ansible-doc will no longer ignore docs for modules without an extension (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85279).
+      - ansible-test - Fix Python relative import resolution from ``__init__.py``
+        files when using change detection.
+      - user - Set timeout for passphrase interaction.
+      - user - Update prompt for SSH key passphrase (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84484).
+      minor_changes:
+      - ansible-test - Add RHEL 10.0 as a remote platform for testing.
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2025-07-08
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
+
+        '
+    codename: Gallows Pole
+    fragments:
+    - 2.17.13rc1_summary.yaml
+    - adoc_noext_fix.yml
+    - ansible-test-change-detection-fix.yml
+    - ansible-test-rhel-10.yml
+    - user_passphrase.yml
+    release_date: '2025-07-08'
   2.17.1rc1:
     changes:
       bugfixes:
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/2.17.13rc1_summary.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/2.17.13rc1_summary.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..53995f53e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/2.17.13rc1_summary.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2025-07-08
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index aa01d58db2b..f12795b66aa 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = '2.17.12.post0'
+__version__ = '2.17.13rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "Gallows Pole"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ea3ce523c72..6e5909d8b4c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 [build-system]
-requires = ["setuptools >= 66.1.0, <= 80.7.1", "wheel == 0.45.1"]  # lower bound to support controller Python versions, upper bound for latest version tested at release
+requires = ["setuptools >= 66.1.0, <= 80.9.0", "wheel == 0.45.1"]  # lower bound to support controller Python versions, upper bound for latest version tested at release
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"