diff --git a/openpower/configs/firenze_defconfig b/openpower/configs/firenze_defconfig
index c8a645a..e884d55 100644
--- a/openpower/configs/firenze_defconfig
+++ b/openpower/configs/firenze_defconfig
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 # skiboot will be built but we don't need embedded payload
 BR2_PACKAGE_SKIBOOT=y
 BR2_PACKAGE_SKIBOOT_EMBED_PAYLOAD=n
+BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
+BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="skiboot-5.3.0-rc1"
 
 # petitboot requirements
 BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE_PURGE=y
diff --git a/openpower/configs/garrison_defconfig b/openpower/configs/garrison_defconfig
index 4a9f46a..6bb0868 100644
--- a/openpower/configs/garrison_defconfig
+++ b/openpower/configs/garrison_defconfig
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 # skiboot requirements
 BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
-BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="68b4d66bdad8bc036073d1a4cbc26e94cdaf908a"
+BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="skiboot-5.3.0-rc1"
 
 # petitboot requirements
 BR2_ENABLE_LOCALE_PURGE=y
diff --git a/openpower/configs/openpower_p9_mambo_defconfig b/openpower/configs/openpower_p9_mambo_defconfig
index 0701eb1..c5411b4 100644
--- a/openpower/configs/openpower_p9_mambo_defconfig
+++ b/openpower/configs/openpower_p9_mambo_defconfig
@@ -43,4 +43,4 @@
 BR2_PACKAGE_PETITBOOT=y
 # BR2_PACKAGE_OCC is not set
 BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION=y
-BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="281e152366d461faf70f29b52bd7c892e24c7b5d"
+BR2_SKIBOOT_CUSTOM_VERSION_VALUE="skiboot-5.3.0-rc1"