diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.11.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.11.rst
index b1c225e337a..c725902a95c 100644
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.11.rst
+++ b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.11.rst
@@ -5,6 +5,35 @@ ansible-core 2.11 "Hey Hey, What Can I Do" Release Notes
 .. contents:: Topics
 
 
+v2.11.6rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2021-10-04
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/porting_guides.html>`__
+
+
+Minor Changes
+-------------
+
+- ansible-galaxy - Non-HTTP exceptions from Galaxy servers are now a warning and only fatal if the collection to download|install|verify is not available from any of the servers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/75443).
+
+Security Fixes
+--------------
+
+- Do not include params in exception when a call to ``set_options`` fails. Additionally, block the exception that is returned from being displayed to stdout. (CVE-2021-3620)
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- PowerShell - Ignore the ``LIB`` environment variable when compiling C# Ansible code
+- ansible-galaxy - Fix handling HTTP exceptions from Galaxy servers. Continue to the next server in the list until the collection is found.
+- config - use ``callbacks_enabled`` instead ``callback_enabled`` in a deprecated message (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/70028).
+- netconf - catch and handle exception to prevent stack trace when running in FIPS mode
+- roles - fix unexpected ``AttributeError`` when an empty ``argument_specs.yml`` is present (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/75604).
+
 v2.11.5
 =======
 
diff --git a/changelogs/changelog.yaml b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
index 89a5331e433..d26324e23e5 100644
--- a/changelogs/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
@@ -1994,3 +1994,38 @@ releases:
     - v2.11.5rc1_summary.yaml
     - vas_fixes.yml
     release_date: '2021-09-08'
+  2.11.6rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - PowerShell - Ignore the ``LIB`` environment variable when compiling C# Ansible
+        code
+      - ansible-galaxy - Fix handling HTTP exceptions from Galaxy servers. Continue
+        to the next server in the list until the collection is found.
+      - config - use ``callbacks_enabled`` instead ``callback_enabled`` in a deprecated
+        message (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/70028).
+      - netconf - catch and handle exception to prevent stack trace when running in
+        FIPS mode
+      - roles - fix unexpected ``AttributeError`` when an empty ``argument_specs.yml``
+        is present (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/75604).
+      minor_changes:
+      - ansible-galaxy - Non-HTTP exceptions from Galaxy servers are now a warning
+        and only fatal if the collection to download|install|verify is not available
+        from any of the servers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/75443).
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2021-10-04
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/porting_guides.html>`__
+
+        '
+      security_fixes:
+      - Do not include params in exception when a call to ``set_options`` fails. Additionally,
+        block the exception that is returned from being displayed to stdout. (CVE-2021-3620)
+    codename: Hey Hey, What Can I Do
+    fragments:
+    - 70028-config-small-typo-fix.yml
+    - 75468_fix_galaxy_server_fallback.yaml
+    - 75604-empty-argument-specs.yml
+    - avoid-set_options-leak.yaml
+    - fips-ncclient-import-error.yaml
+    - powershell-addtype-env-vars.yml
+    - v2.11.6rc1_summary.yaml
+    release_date: '2021-10-04'
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/v2.11.6rc1_summary.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/v2.11.6rc1_summary.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d674796cf64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/v2.11.6rc1_summary.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2021-10-04
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/porting_guides.html>`__
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index 22f8d8b4397..59d87f3a9cd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@
 from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
 __metaclass__ = type
 
-__version__ = '2.11.5.post0'
+__version__ = '2.11.6rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = 'Hey Hey, What Can I Do'