diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c99459e84..e33e4f273 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+
+- `gen workflows`: the generated `create_release_pr.yaml` now triggers on release-candidate branches (`<base>#release#{major-rc,minor-rc,patch-rc,rc,rc-release}`) for the `main`, `master`, and `release` bases, so RC releases get an automatic release PR just like the stable `major`/`minor`/`patch` tokens. Requires the matching support in [giantswarm/github-workflows#195](https://github.com/giantswarm/github-workflows/pull/195).
+
 ## [8.10.0] - 2026-06-10
 
 ### Changed
diff --git a/pkg/gen/input/workflows/internal/file/create_release_pr.yaml.template b/pkg/gen/input/workflows/internal/file/create_release_pr.yaml.template
index ec2ad6c42..0436f9463 100644
--- a/pkg/gen/input/workflows/internal/file/create_release_pr.yaml.template
+++ b/pkg/gen/input/workflows/internal/file/create_release_pr.yaml.template
@@ -8,14 +8,29 @@ on:
       - 'main#release#major'
       - 'main#release#minor'
       - 'main#release#patch'
+      - 'main#release#major-rc'
+      - 'main#release#minor-rc'
+      - 'main#release#patch-rc'
+      - 'main#release#rc'
+      - 'main#release#rc-release'
       - 'master#release#v*.*.*'
       - 'master#release#major'
       - 'master#release#minor'
       - 'master#release#patch'
+      - 'master#release#major-rc'
+      - 'master#release#minor-rc'
+      - 'master#release#patch-rc'
+      - 'master#release#rc'
+      - 'master#release#rc-release'
       - 'release#v*.*.*'
       - 'release#major'
       - 'release#minor'
       - 'release#patch'
+      - 'release#major-rc'
+      - 'release#minor-rc'
+      - 'release#patch-rc'
+      - 'release#rc'
+      - 'release#rc-release'
       - 'release-v*.*.x#release#v*.*.*'
       # "!" negates previous positive patterns so it has to be at the end.
       - '!release-v*.x.x#release#v*.*.*'