diff --git a/blocked-edges/4.3.0-rc.0.yaml b/blocked-edges/4.3.0-rc.0.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91c8cd9e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blocked-edges/4.3.0-rc.0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+to: 4.3.0-rc.0
+from: .*
+# 4.2 -> 4.3 updates occasionally hit RequiredPoolsFailed degradation: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1786993
diff --git a/channels/candidate-4.3.yaml b/channels/candidate-4.3.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9819f0506
--- /dev/null
+++ b/channels/candidate-4.3.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+name: candidate-4.3
+versions:
+- 4.3.0-rc.0