diff --git a/.changeset/pre.json b/.changeset/pre.json
index b24862f0..dd719211 100644
--- a/.changeset/pre.json
+++ b/.changeset/pre.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "mode": "pre",
   "tag": "rc",
   "initialVersions": {
-    "task-master-ai": "0.12.1"
+    "task-master-ai": "0.13.1"
   },
   "changesets": [
     "beige-rats-accept",
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9af80547
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/pre-release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+name: Pre-Release (RC)
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch: # Allows manual triggering from GitHub UI/API
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - 'next'
+
+concurrency: pre-release-${{ github.ref }}
+
+jobs:
+  rc:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: 'npm'
+
+      - name: Cache node_modules
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          path: |
+            node_modules
+            */*/node_modules
+          key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json') }}
+          restore-keys: |
+            ${{ runner.os }}-node-
+
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+        timeout-minutes: 2
+
+      - name: Enter RC mode
+        run: npx changeset pre enter rc
+
+      - name: Version RC packages
+        run: |
+          npx changeset version
+          git add .
+          git commit -m "chore: rc version bump" || echo "No changes to commit"
+
+      - name: Create Release Candidate Pull Request or Publish Release Candidate to npm
+        uses: changesets/action@v1
+        with:
+          publish: npm run release
+        env:
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index e49148b5..a19fb49a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ jobs:
         run: npm ci
         timeout-minutes: 2
 
+      - name: Exit pre-release mode (safety check)
+        run: npx changeset pre exit || true
+
       - name: Create Release Pull Request or Publish to npm
         uses: changesets/action@v1
         with: