diff --git a/iso/empanadas/empanadas/configs/el9.yaml b/iso/empanadas/empanadas/configs/el9.yaml
index 786c46a..e63cd6e 100644
--- a/iso/empanadas/empanadas/configs/el9.yaml
+++ b/iso/empanadas/empanadas/configs/el9.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 '9':
   fullname: 'Rocky Linux 9.0'
   revision: '9.0'
-  rclvl: 'RC1'
+  rclvl: 'RC2'
   major: '9'
   minor: '0'
   profile: '9'
diff --git a/iso/empanadas/empanadas/util/dnf_utils.py b/iso/empanadas/empanadas/util/dnf_utils.py
index c7ced10..336e782 100644
--- a/iso/empanadas/empanadas/util/dnf_utils.py
+++ b/iso/empanadas/empanadas/util/dnf_utils.py
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ class RepoSync:
                 version=empanadas.__version__
         )
 
-        with open(metadata_dir + '/README') as readme_file:
+        with open(metadata_dir + '/README', 'w+', encoding='utf-8') as readme_file:
             readme_file.write(readme_output)
             readme_file.close()
 
diff --git a/sync/common_9 b/sync/common_9
index 8b1cbb8..777ae46 100644
--- a/sync/common_9
+++ b/sync/common_9
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ MAJOR="${REVISION:0:1}"
 MINOR="${REVISION:2:1}"
 
 # comment or blank if needed
-APPEND_TO_DIR="-RC1"
+APPEND_TO_DIR="-RC2"
 
 STAGING_ROOT="/mnt/repos-staging"
 PRODUCTION_ROOT="/mnt/repos-production"
diff --git a/sync/sync-to-staging-9.sh b/sync/sync-to-staging-9.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffcc6f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sync/sync-to-staging-9.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Source common variables
+# shellcheck disable=SC2046,1091,1090
+source "$(dirname "$0")/common"
+
+if [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
+  echo "You must specify a short name."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Major Version (eg, 8)
+MAJ=${RLVER}
+# Short name (eg, NFV, extras, Rocky, gluster9)
+SHORT=${1}
+PROFILE=${2}
+
+cd "/mnt/compose/${MAJ}/latest-${SHORT}-${MAJ}${PROFILE}/compose" || { echo "Failed to change directory"; ret_val=1; exit 1; }
+ret_val=$?
+
+if [ $ret_val -eq "0" ]; then
+  TARGET="${STAGING_ROOT}/${CATEGORY_STUB}/${REV}"
+  mkdir -p "${TARGET}"
+  # disabling because none of our files should be starting with dashes. If they
+  # are something is *seriously* wrong here.
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2035
+  #sudo -l && find **/* -maxdepth 0 -type d | parallel --will-cite -j 18 sudo rsync -av --chown=10004:10005 --progress --relative --human-readable \
+  #    {} "${TARGET}"
+  sudo -l && fpsync -o '-av --numeric-ids --no-compress --chown=10004:10005' -n 18 -t /mnt/compose/partitions "/mnt/compose/${MAJ}/latest-${SHORT}-${MAJ}${PROFILE}/compose/" "${TARGET}/"
+
+  # This is temporary until we implement rsync into empanadas
+  #if [ -f "COMPOSE_ID" ]; then
+  #  cp COMPOSE_ID "${TARGET}"
+  #  chown 10004:10005 "${TARGET}/COMPOSE_ID"
+  #fi
+
+  #if [ -d "metadata" ]; then
+  #  rsync -av --chown=10004:10005 --progress --relative --human-readable metadata "${TARGET}"
+  #fi
+fi