diff --git a/.packit.yaml b/.packit.yaml
index 63eb539..920c8dc 100644
--- a/.packit.yaml
+++ b/.packit.yaml
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ downstream_package_name: python-google-cloud-access-approval
 upstream_project_url: https://github.com/googleapis/google-cloud-python
 upstream_tag_template: google-cloud-access-approval-v{version}
 
+# do not sync release candidate versions
+upstream_tag_exclude: ".*rc\\d+"
+
 specfile_path: python-google-cloud-access-approval.spec
 
 jobs: