diff --git a/gitnexus/package-lock.json b/gitnexus/package-lock.json
index 97bbbc1a1..10f9ab99b 100644
--- a/gitnexus/package-lock.json
+++ b/gitnexus/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "gitnexus",
-  "version": "1.6.8",
+  "version": "1.6.9-rc.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "gitnexus",
-      "version": "1.6.8",
+      "version": "1.6.9-rc.1",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "license": "PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0",
       "dependencies": {
diff --git a/gitnexus/package.json b/gitnexus/package.json
index f4adcb9da..6a9ece553 100644
--- a/gitnexus/package.json
+++ b/gitnexus/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "gitnexus",
-  "version": "1.6.8",
+  "version": "1.6.9-rc.1",
   "description": "Graph-powered code intelligence for AI agents. Index any codebase, query via MCP or CLI.",
   "author": "Abhigyan Patwari",
   "license": "PolyForm-Noncommercial-1.0.0",