diff --git a/scripts/installer/installer b/scripts/installer/installer
index cc7bc3c6..0b4fb249 100755
--- a/scripts/installer/installer
+++ b/scripts/installer/installer
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 ABRA_VERSION="0.3.0-alpha"
+RC_VERSION="0.3.1-rc1"
 ABRA_RELEASE_URL="https://git.coopcloud.tech/api/v1/repos/coop-cloud/abra/releases/tags/$ABRA_VERSION"
+RC_VERSION_URL="https://git.coopcloud.tech/api/v1/repos/coop-cloud/abra/releases/tags/$RC_VERSION"
 
 function show_banner {
   echo ""
@@ -79,10 +81,75 @@ function install_abra_release {
   echo "abra installed to $HOME/.local/bin/abra"
 }
 
+function install_abra_rc {
+  mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
+
+  if ! type "curl" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "'curl' is not installed, cannot proceed..."
+    echo "perhaps try installing manually via the releases URL?"
+    echo "https://git.coopcloud.tech/coop-cloud/abra/releases"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  # FIXME: support different architectures
+  PLATFORM=$(uname -s | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')_$(uname -m)
+  FILENAME="abra_"$RC_VERSION"_"$PLATFORM""
+  sed_command_rel='s/.*"assets":\[\{[^]]*"name":"'$FILENAME'"[^}]*"browser_download_url":"([^"]*)".*\].*/\1/p'
+  sed_command_checksums='s/.*"assets":\[\{[^\]*"name":"checksums.txt"[^}]*"browser_download_url":"([^"]*)".*\].*/\1/p'
+
+  json=$(curl -s $RC_VERSION_URL)
+  release_url=$(echo $json | sed -En $sed_command_rel)
+  checksums_url=$(echo $json | sed -En $sed_command_checksums)
+
+  checksums=$(curl -s $checksums_url)
+  checksum=$(echo "$checksums" | grep "$FILENAME" - | sed -En 's/([0-9a-f]{64})\s+'"$FILENAME"'.*/\1/p')
+
+  echo "downloading $RC_VERSION $PLATFORM binary release for abra..."
+  curl --progress-bar "$release_url" --output "$HOME/.local/bin/.abra-download"
+  localsum=$(sha256sum $HOME/.local/bin/.abra-download | sed -En 's/([0-9a-f]{64})\s+.*/\1/p')
+  echo "checking if checksums match..."
+  if [[ "$localsum" != "$checksum" ]]; then
+      print_checksum_error
+      exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "$(tput setaf 2)check successful!$(tput sgr0)"
+  mv "$HOME/.local/bin/.abra-download" "$HOME/.local/bin/abra"
+  chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/abra"
+
+  x=$(echo $PATH | grep $HOME/.local/bin)
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+      echo "$(tput setaf 3)WARNING: $HOME/.local/bin/ is not in \$PATH! If you want to run abra by just typing "abra" you should add it to your \$PATH! To do that run:$(tput sgr0)"
+      p=$HOME/.local/bin
+      com="echo PATH=\$PATH:$p"
+      if [[ $SHELL =~ "bash" ]]; then
+          echo "echo $com >> $HOME/.bashrc"
+      elif [[ $SHELL =~ "fizsh" ]]; then
+          echo "echo $com >> $HOME/.fizsh/.fizshrc"
+      elif [[ $SHELL =~ "zsh" ]]; then
+          echo "echo $com >> $HOME/.zshrc"
+      else
+          echo "echo $com >> $HOME/.profile"
+      fi
+  fi
+
+  echo "abra installed to $HOME/.local/bin/abra"
+}
+
 function run_installation {
   show_banner
   install_abra_release
 }
 
+function run_rc_installation {
+    show_banner
+    install_abra_rc
+}
+
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    if [ "$arg" == "--rc" ]; then
+        run_rc_installation "$@"
+        exit 0
+    fi
+done
 run_installation "$@"
 exit 0