diff --git a/bin/setup b/bin/setup
index 7b1427c..87317e6 100755
--- a/bin/setup
+++ b/bin/setup
@@ -192,9 +192,41 @@ else
 fi
 echo ""
 
+# --- rc branch worktree -------------------------------------------------------
+
+# The rc channel builds from the standing `rc` branch (where the release
+# orchestrator commits RC PKGBUILD pins) in its own worktree, so rc builds
+# never contend with the master checkout. OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT in the rc service
+# points its published tree back at this checkout, so all three channels live
+# together.
+RC_WORKTREE="/root/omarchy-pkgs-rc"
+
+if [[ "$CHECK_ONLY" == true ]]; then
+  if [[ -d "$RC_WORKTREE" ]]; then
+    print_success "rc worktree present: $RC_WORKTREE"
+  else
+    print_warning "rc worktree would be created at $RC_WORKTREE"
+  fi
+elif [[ -d "$RC_WORKTREE" ]]; then
+  print_success "rc worktree present: $RC_WORKTREE"
+else
+  print_info "Creating rc branch worktree at $RC_WORKTREE..."
+  git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" fetch origin rc 2>/dev/null || true
+  if git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" show-ref --verify --quiet refs/heads/rc; then
+    git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" worktree add "$RC_WORKTREE" rc
+  elif git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" show-ref --verify --quiet refs/remotes/origin/rc; then
+    git -C "$BUILD_ROOT" worktree add --track -b rc "$RC_WORKTREE" origin/rc
+  else
+    print_warning "No rc branch exists yet — skipping worktree"
+    echo "    The release orchestrator creates the rc branch on the first RC cut;"
+    echo "    re-run bin/setup afterwards."
+  fi
+fi
+echo ""
+
 # --- release timers ----------------------------------------------------------
 
-TIMERS=(omarchy-check-versions omarchy-auto-release-edge omarchy-auto-release-stable)
+TIMERS=(omarchy-check-versions omarchy-auto-release-edge omarchy-auto-release-rc omarchy-auto-release-stable)
 
 if [[ "$SKIP_TIMERS" == true ]]; then
   print_info "Skipping release timers (--skip-timers)"
diff --git a/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84ad75f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.service
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Auto-release omarchy-pkgs for rc mirror
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+# The rc channel builds from the rc branch worktree, but publishes into the
+# primary checkout's channel tree via OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT.
+ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/git -C /root/omarchy-pkgs-rc pull --ff-only
+ExecStart=/bin/bash -c 'source /root/.omarchy/build-credentials && /root/omarchy-pkgs-rc/bin/auto-release rc'
+Environment=OMARCHY_STATE_DIR=/root/.state
+Environment=OMARCHY_REPO_ROOT=/root/omarchy-pkgs/pkgs.omarchy.org
+TimeoutStartSec=7200
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.timer b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2108a38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/omarchy-auto-release-rc.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Retry pending rc releases every 6 hours
+
+[Timer]
+# Backstop only: rc builds are normally triggered immediately over SSH by the
+# release orchestrator (touch .sync-needed-rc + systemctl start). This timer
+# retries builds whose state file survived a failure.
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 01,07,13,19:00:00 America/New_York
+Persistent=true
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target