diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 901422ff..fad726df 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ else()
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0 FATAL_ERROR)
 endif()
 project(oqs-provider LANGUAGES C)
-set(OQSPROVIDER_VERSION_TEXT "0.5.4-dev")
+set(OQSPROVIDER_VERSION_TEXT "0.5.3-dev")
 set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
 set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY FIND_LIBRARY_USE_LIB64_PATHS ON)
 if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
diff --git a/RELEASE.md b/RELEASE.md
index c9b215ad..a4653782 100644
--- a/RELEASE.md
+++ b/RELEASE.md
@@ -1,63 +1,3 @@
-# oqs-provider 0.5.3
-
-## About
-
-The **Open Quantum Safe (OQS) project** has the goal of developing and prototyping quantum-resistant cryptography.  More information on OQS can be found on our website: https://openquantumsafe.org/ and on Github at https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/.
-
-**oqs-provider** is a standalone [OpenSSL 3](https://github.com/openssl/openssl) [provider](https://www.openssl.org/docs/manmaster/man7/provider.html) enabling [liboqs](https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs)-based quantum-safe and [hybrid key exchange](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-ietf-pquip-pqt-hybrid-terminology) for TLS 1.3, as well as quantum-safe and hybrid X.509 certificate generation, CMS, CMP and `dgst` (signature) operations.
-
-When deployed, the `oqs-provider` binary (shared library) thus adds support for quantum-safe cryptographic operations to any standard OpenSSL(v3) installation. The ultimate goal is that all `openssl` functionality shall be [PQC-enabled](https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/post-quantum-cryptography).
-
-In general, the oqs-provider `main` branch is meant to be usable in conjunction with the `main` branch of [liboqs](https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs) and the `master` branch of [OpenSSL](https://github.com/openssl/openssl).
-
-Further details on building, testing and use can be found in [README.md](https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/blob/main/README.md). See in particular limitations on intended use.
-
-## Release notes
-
-This is version 0.5.3 of oqs-provider.
-
-### Security considerations
-
-This improves a non-constant time issue in previous releases for Kyber.
-
-### What's New
-
-This release continues from the 0.5.2 release of oqs-provider and is fully tested to be used in conjunction with the main branch of [liboqs](https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/liboqs). This release is functionally guaranteed to be in sync with v0.9.1 of `liboqs` (see note below),
-
-This release also makes available ready-to-run binaries for Linux (.so), Windows (.dll) and MacOS (.dylib) compiled for `x64` CPUs. Activation and use is documented in [USAGE.md](https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/blob/main/USAGE.md).
-
-### Additional new feature highlights
-
-- Kyber code update addressing constant time property
-- Code point updates for HQC following code updates in `liboqs`
-- Document project governance
-
-## What's Changed
-* Clarify liboqs_DIR naming convention by @ajbozarth in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/292
-* check empty params lists passed by @baentsch in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/296
-* Fix minor typos in documentation by @johnma14 in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/304
-* HQC code point update by @baentsch in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/306
-* Fix broken circleci job for macOS by @johnma14 in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/305
-* Contribution policy by @baentsch in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/286
-* Fix link in GOVERNANCE.md [skip ci] by @pi-314159 in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/309
-* Add a example of how to load oqsprovider using `OSSL_PROVIDER_add_builtin`. by @thb-sb in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/308
-* Get Windows CI to work again by @qnfm in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/310
-* correct upstream and Windows CI snafus by @baentsch in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/322
-
-## Release-specific note
-
-Due to an incomplete cherry-pick in `liboqs`, the code-generator logic in `oqsprovider` does produce incorrect documentation when used in conjunction with `liboqs` release 0.9.1. The corresponding CI test therefore is disabled for this `oqsprovider` release and this note has been created to warn users of this inconsistency in `liboqs` v0.9.1. It has no functional implications.
-
-## New Contributors
-* @ajbozarth made their first contribution in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/292
-* @johnma14 made their first contribution in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/304
-* @pi-314159 made their first contribution in https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/pull/309
-
-**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/open-quantum-safe/oqs-provider/compare/0.5.2...0.5.3
-
-Previous Release Notes
-======================
-
 # oqs-provider 0.5.2
 
 ## About