diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.19.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.19.rst
index 682a18b624a..097ecb16435 100644
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.19.rst
+++ b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.19.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,30 @@ ansible-core 2.19 "What Is and What Should Never Be" Release Notes
 
 .. contents:: Topics
 
+v2.19.4rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2025-10-29
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.19/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.19.html>`__
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix issue where play tags prevented executing notified handlers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85475)
+- Fix issues with keywords being incorrectly validated on ``import_tasks`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85855, https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85856)
+- Fix traceback when trying to import non-existing file via nested ``import_tasks`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/69882)
+- SIGINT/SIGTERM Handling - Make SIGINT/SIGTERM handling more robust by splitting concerns between forks and the parent.
+- Windows - ignore temporary file cleanup warning when using AnsibleModule to compile C# utils. This should reduce the number of warnings that can safely be ignored when running PowerShell modules - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85976
+- ansible-doc - prevent crash when scanning collections in paths that have more than one ``ansible_collections`` in it (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84909, https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/85361).
+- callback plugins - improve consistency accessing the Task object's resolved_action attribute.
+- config lookup now properly factors in variables and show_origin when checking entries from the global configuration.
+- option argument deprecations now have a proper alternative help text.
+- package_facts - typecast bytes to string while returning facts (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85937).
+- psrp - ReadTimeout exceptions now mark host as unreachable instead of fatal (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85966)
+
 v2.19.3
 =======
 
diff --git a/changelogs/changelog.yaml b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
index d4ca73baaf9..7161930edc5 100644
--- a/changelogs/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
@@ -1354,3 +1354,46 @@ releases:
     - run_command_output_selector.yml
     - win_async-junk-output.yml
     release_date: '2025-09-29'
+  2.19.4rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - Fix issue where play tags prevented executing notified handlers (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85475)
+      - Fix issues with keywords being incorrectly validated on ``import_tasks`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85855,
+        https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85856)
+      - Fix traceback when trying to import non-existing file via nested ``import_tasks``
+        (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/69882)
+      - SIGINT/SIGTERM Handling - Make SIGINT/SIGTERM handling more robust by splitting
+        concerns between forks and the parent.
+      - Windows - ignore temporary file cleanup warning when using AnsibleModule to
+        compile C# utils. This should reduce the number of warnings that can safely
+        be ignored when running PowerShell modules - https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85976
+      - ansible-doc - prevent crash when scanning collections in paths that have more
+        than one ``ansible_collections`` in it (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/84909,
+        https://github.com/ansible/ansible/pull/85361).
+      - callback plugins - improve consistency accessing the Task object's resolved_action
+        attribute.
+      - config lookup now properly factors in variables and show_origin when checking
+        entries from the global configuration.
+      - option argument deprecations now have a proper alternative help text.
+      - package_facts - typecast bytes to string while returning facts (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85937).
+      - psrp - ReadTimeout exceptions now mark host as unreachable instead of fatal
+        (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/85966)
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2025-10-29
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.19/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.19.html>`__
+
+        '
+    codename: What Is and What Should Never Be
+    fragments:
+    - 2.19.4rc1_summary.yaml
+    - 85361-collection-name-from-path-none.yml
+    - 85475-fix-flush_handlers-play-tags.yml
+    - 85524-resolve-task-resolved_action-early.yml
+    - 85966-psrp-readtimeout.yml
+    - add-type-warning.yml
+    - config_lookup_fix.yml
+    - fix-signal-propagation.yml
+    - import_tasks-fixes.yml
+    - option_deprecation_help.yml
+    - package_facts.yml
+    release_date: '2025-10-29'
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/2.19.4rc1_summary.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/2.19.4rc1_summary.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..63db7fda8c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/2.19.4rc1_summary.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2025-10-29
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.19/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.19.html>`__
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index d47275c9e5e..903886a3158 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = '2.19.3.post0'
+__version__ = '2.19.4rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "What Is and What Should Never Be"