diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index d9b3f8b2c1..da26f17606 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,35 @@
+# Synapse 1.153.0rc1 (2026-05-08)
+
+## Features
+
+- Make ACLs apply to EDUs per [MSC4163](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4163). ([\#18475](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/18475))
+- Stabilize [MSC3266: Room summary API](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3266), removing the experimental config flag `msc3266_enabled`. Contributed by @dasha-uwu. ([\#19720](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19720))
+- Partial [MSC4311](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4311) implementation: `m.room.create` is now a required part of stripped `invite_state`/`knock_state` . Contributed by @FrenchGithubUser @Famedly. ([\#19722](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19722))
+- Expose `tombstoned` and `replacement_room` in room details on admin API endpoint `GET /_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/<room_id>`. Contributed by Noah Markert. ([\#19737](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19737))
+
+## Bugfixes
+
+- Allow self-requested user erasure (upon account deactivation) to succeed even if Synapse has disabled profile changes. Contributed by Famedly. ([\#19398](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19398))
+- Fix Synapse not backfilling new history when attempting to use a pagination token near a backward extremity. ([\#19611](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19611))
+- Have [MSC4186: Simplified Sliding Sync](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4186) return a new response immediately if a room subscription has changed and produced a new response. ([\#19714](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19714))
+- Fix a bug where when upgrading a room to room version 12, the power level event in the old room got temporarily mutated to remove the user upgrading the room's power. ([\#19727](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19727))
+- Fix packaging for Fedora and EPEL caused by unnecessary bumping `authlib` minimum version requirement in `pyproject.toml` file. Contributed by Oleg Girko. ([\#19742](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19742))
+
+## Improved Documentation
+
+- Add warning about known problems when configuring `use_frozen_dicts`. ([\#19711](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19711))
+
+## Internal Changes
+
+- Port `Event.signatures` field to Rust. ([\#19706](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19706))
+- Port `Event.unsigned` field to Rust. ([\#19708](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19708))
+- Add a Rust canonical JSON serializer. ([\#19739](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19739))
+- Configure Dependabot to only update Python dependencies in the lockfile, unless widening upper bounds. ([\#19743](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19743))
+- Reduce `WORKER_LOCK_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL` to 5 seconds to reduce idle time after lock is released. ([\#19755](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19755))
+- Force keyword-only arguments for `Duration` so time units have to be specified. ([\#19756](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19756))
+- Lint and format `rust/src/canonical_json.rs`. ([\#19763](https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/19763))
+
+
 # Synapse 1.152.1 (2026-05-07)
 
 ## Security Fixes
diff --git a/changelog.d/18475.feature b/changelog.d/18475.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 06c13db43e..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/18475.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Make ACLs apply to EDUs per [MSC4163](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4163).
diff --git a/changelog.d/19394.bugfix b/changelog.d/19394.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4ca92cfb32..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19394.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Capped the `WorkerLock` time out interval to a maximum of 60 seconds to prevent dealing with excessively long numbers. Contributed by Famedly.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19398.bugfix b/changelog.d/19398.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 07679b31ae..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19398.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Allow user requested erasure to succeed even if Synapse has disabled profile changes. Contributed by Famedly.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19611.bugfix b/changelog.d/19611.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4952fd00db..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19611.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix Synapse not backfilling new history when attempting to use a pagination token near a backward extremity.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19706.misc b/changelog.d/19706.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 205abd09d4..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19706.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Port `Event.signatures` field to Rust.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19708.misc b/changelog.d/19708.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 308c2b04d0..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19708.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Port `Event.unsigned` field to Rust.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19711.doc b/changelog.d/19711.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index d00ee6a908..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19711.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add warning about known problems when configuring `use_frozen_dicts`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19714.bugfix b/changelog.d/19714.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 6aba7b21a6..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19714.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Have SSS return a new response immediately if a room subscription have changed and produced a new response.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19720.feature b/changelog.d/19720.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 97a1d35de5..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19720.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Stabilize MSC3266, removing the experimental config flag `msc3266_enabled`. Add support for stable room summary endpoints. Contributed by @dasha-uwu.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19722.feature b/changelog.d/19722.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 30104b7e74..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19722.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Partial [MSC4311](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/4311) implementation: `m.room.create` is now a required part of stripped `invite_state`/`knock_state` . Contributed by @FrenchGithubUser @Famedly.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19727.bugfix b/changelog.d/19727.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index a535bd6aa4..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19727.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a bug where when upgrading a room to v12 the power level event in the old room got mutated to remove the user upgrading the room's power.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19737.feature b/changelog.d/19737.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 13bf2405df..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19737.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Exposes `tombstoned` and `replacement_room` in room details on admin API endpoint `GET /_synapse/admin/v1/rooms/<room_id>`. Contributed by Noah Markert.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19739.misc b/changelog.d/19739.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 24562b24fc..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19739.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a Rust canonical JSON serializer.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19742.bugfix b/changelog.d/19742.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 342769b65b..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19742.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix packaging for Fedora and EPEL caused by unnecessary bumping `authlib` minimum version requirement in `pyproject.toml` file. Contributed by Oleg Girko.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19743.misc b/changelog.d/19743.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 35c4841386..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19743.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Configure Dependabot to only update Python dependencies in the lockfile, unless widening upper bounds.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19755.misc b/changelog.d/19755.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 6ad478e531..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19755.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Reduce `WORKER_LOCK_MAX_RETRY_INTERVAL` to 5 seconds to reduce idle time after lock is released.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19756.misc b/changelog.d/19756.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 2450505b53..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19756.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Force keyword-only args for `Duration` (prevent footgun) so people have to specify which time unit they want to us.
diff --git a/changelog.d/19763.misc b/changelog.d/19763.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index c9e8277e01..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/19763.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Lint and format `rust/src/canonical_json.rs`.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index cfefe953e3..6aa3735603 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.153.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New Synapse release 1.153.0rc1.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Fri, 08 May 2026 13:05:08 +0100
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.152.1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New Synapse release 1.152.1.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7ead67c8f5..b456adfc60 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "matrix-synapse"
-version = "1.152.1"
+version = "1.153.0rc1"
 description = "Homeserver for the Matrix decentralised comms protocol"
 readme = "README.rst"
 authors = [
diff --git a/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml b/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
index 49207028d1..8888d2c673 100644
--- a/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
+++ b/schema/synapse-config.schema.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 $schema: https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/latest/schema/v1/meta.schema.json
-$id: https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/schema/synapse/v1.152/synapse-config.schema.json
+$id: https://element-hq.github.io/synapse/schema/synapse/v1.153/synapse-config.schema.json
 type: object
 properties:
   modules: