diff --git a/.github/release-please/manifest.json b/.github/release-please/manifest.json
index 5911ab14d8..535851eed4 100644
--- a/.github/release-please/manifest.json
+++ b/.github/release-please/manifest.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{".":"12.0.0-rc.3"}
+{".":"12.0.0-rc.4"}
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cdf1261ec5..9827832332 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [12.0.0-rc.4](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/compare/v12.0.0-rc.3...v12.0.0-rc.4) (2026-07-23)
+
+
+### ⚠ BREAKING CHANGES
+
+* replace yargs with Node.js util.parseArgs ([#6164](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/issues/6164))
+
+### 🧹 Chores
+
+* replace yargs with Node.js util.parseArgs ([#6164](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/issues/6164)) ([21a3902](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/commit/21a39022861e08a3a8836f365f313f6274dcf485))
+
 ## [12.0.0-rc.3](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/compare/v12.0.0-rc.2...v12.0.0-rc.3) (2026-07-22)
 
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c8897cda5c..a8c968d6b2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 <div align="center">
 
-<a href="https://www.npmjs.com/package/mocha"><img src="https://img.shields.io/npm/v/mocha.svg" alt="npm version 12.0.0-rc.3-9.6-9.3"></a> <!-- x-release-please-version -->
+<a href="https://www.npmjs.com/package/mocha"><img src="https://img.shields.io/npm/v/mocha.svg" alt="npm version 12.0.0-rc.4-9.6-9.3"></a> <!-- x-release-please-version -->
 <a href="https://github.com/mochajs/mocha"><img src="https://img.shields.io/node/v/mocha.svg" alt="Node Version"></a>
 [![GitHub Actions Build Status](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/actions/workflows/mocha.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/mochajs/mocha/actions/workflows/mocha.yml)
 <a href="https://codecov.io/gh/mochajs/mocha"><img src="https://codecov.io/gh/mochajs/mocha/branch/main/graph/badge.svg" alt="Codecov Coverage Status"></a>
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 77795b65e2..e9305884c1 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "mocha",
-  "version": "12.0.0-rc.3",
+  "version": "12.0.0-rc.4",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "mocha",
-      "version": "12.0.0-rc.3",
+      "version": "12.0.0-rc.4",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "browser-stdout": "^1.3.1",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8ca67026ab..f0b266ff8a 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "mocha",
-  "version": "12.0.0-rc.3",
+  "version": "12.0.0-rc.4",
   "type": "module",
   "description": "Classic, reliable, trusted test framework for Node.js and the browser",
   "keywords": [