diff --git a/tools/release/rc-to-main.sh b/tools/release/rc-to-main.sh
index 43b1d95e7..749530922 100755
--- a/tools/release/rc-to-main.sh
+++ b/tools/release/rc-to-main.sh
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ fi
 touch rc_to_main.md
 echo "$RELEASE back to main" >> rc_to_main.md
 echo "" >> rc_to_main.md
-echo "Next steps:" >> rc_to_main.md
+echo "Next steps, after that's merged to \`main\`:" >> rc_to_main.md
 echo "  1. publish the release: \`./tools/release/publish.sh $RELEASE\`" >> rc_to_main.md
 echo "  2. update stable deployment in demos repo to point to $RELEASE" >> rc_to_main.md
-echo "  3. prep next rc: \`./tools/release/prep.sh $RELEASE rc-{x.y.z}\`" >> rc_to_main.md
+echo "  3. prep next rc: \`./tools/release/prep.sh $RELEASE rc-v{x.y.z}\`" >> rc_to_main.md
 
 PR_URL=$(gh pr create --title "$RELEASE" --body-file rc_to_main.md --base main --assignee "@me")
 PR_NUMBER=$(echo $PR_URL | sed -n 's/.*\/pull\/\([0-9]*\).*/\1/p')