diff --git a/.github/workflows/buildTests.yaml b/.github/workflows/buildTests.yaml
index ffd371a..a271090 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/buildTests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/buildTests.yaml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        go: [ "1.22.7" ]
+        go: [ "1.23.3" ]
     steps:
     - name: Check out code into the Go module directory
       uses: actions/checkout@v3
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c291815..f9e3841 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ on:
       - created
 
 env:
-  GO_VERSION: "1.22.7"
+  GO_VERSION: "1.23.3"
   REPOSITORY: flannel/flannel-cni-plugin
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5db1b4d..f0446f8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ GO?=$(go)
 GOPATH?=$(go env GOPATH)
 
 # this is the upstream CNI plugin version used for testing
-TEST_TAG?=v1.4.1
+TEST_TAG?=v1.6.0
 
 # Only enable CGO (and build the UDP backend) on AMD64
 ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 # Go version to use for builds. Can be overridden
-GOLANG_VERSION?=1.22.7
+GOLANG_VERSION?=1.23.3
 
 build_all: vendor build_all_linux build_windows
 	@echo "All arches should be built for $(TAG)"
diff --git a/flannel_linux_test.go b/flannel_linux_test.go
index eecf54d..d8462b8 100644
--- a/flannel_linux_test.go
+++ b/flannel_linux_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ import (
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 )
 
+func deleteNamespace(ns ns.NetNS) error {
+	if err := ns.Close(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return testutils.UnmountNS(ns)
+}
+
 var _ = Describe("Flannel", func() {
 	var (
 		originalNS                         ns.NetNS
@@ -48,7 +55,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Flannel", func() {
 	})
 
 	AfterEach(func() {
-		Expect(originalNS.Close()).To(Succeed())
+		Expect(deleteNamespace(originalNS)).To(Succeed())
 	})
 
 	const hostLocalDataDir = "/var/lib/cni/networks/cni-flannel"
@@ -159,7 +166,7 @@ FLANNEL_IPMASQ=true
 
 				targetNs, err := testutils.NewNS()
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-				defer targetNs.Close()
+				defer deleteNamespace(targetNs)
 
 				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
 					ContainerID: "some-container-id-ipv4",
@@ -238,7 +245,7 @@ FLANNEL_IPMASQ=true
 
 				targetNs, err := testutils.NewNS()
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-				defer targetNs.Close()
+				defer deleteNamespace(targetNs)
 
 				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
 					ContainerID: "some-container-id-ipv4-multiple",
@@ -320,7 +327,7 @@ FLANNEL_IPMASQ=true
 
 				targetNs, err := testutils.NewNS()
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-				defer targetNs.Close()
+				defer deleteNamespace(targetNs)
 
 				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
 					ContainerID: "some-container-id-ipv6",
@@ -399,7 +406,7 @@ FLANNEL_IPMASQ=true
 
 				targetNs, err := testutils.NewNS()
 				Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
-				defer targetNs.Close()
+				defer deleteNamespace(targetNs)
 
 				args := &skel.CmdArgs{
 					ContainerID: "some-container-id-dual-stack",
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index b86afa4..6b68f68 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/flannel-io/cni-plugin
 
-go 1.22
-toolchain go1.23.2
+go 1.23
 
 require (
 	github.com/containernetworking/cni v1.2.3
diff --git a/scripts/test_linux.sh b/scripts/test_linux.sh
index ab38685..7fd643e 100755
--- a/scripts/test_linux.sh
+++ b/scripts/test_linux.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function download_cnis {
 
 function testrun {
     download_cnis
-    sudo -E bash -c "umask 0; PATH=${GOPATH}/dist:$(pwd)/dist:${PATH} go test $@"
+    sudo -E bash -c "umask 0; PATH=${GOPATH}/dist:$(pwd)/dist:${PATH} go test -count=1 $@"
 }
 
 COVERALLS=${COVERALLS:-""}
diff --git a/scripts/version.sh b/scripts/version.sh
index 4c8f4b0..aa12eaf 100755
--- a/scripts/version.sh
+++ b/scripts/version.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ PLATFORM=${GOOS}-${GOARCH}
 RELEASE=${PROG}-${GOARCH}
 # hardcode versions unless set specifically
 VERSION=${VERSION:-v1.0.0}
-GOLANG_VERSION=${GOLANG_VERSION:-1.22.7}
+GOLANG_VERSION=${GOLANG_VERSION:-1.23.3}
 
 if [ -d .git ]; then
     if [ -z "${GIT_TAG}" ]; then