diff --git a/.test-defs/apply-flow-azure.yaml b/.test-defs/apply-flow-azure.yaml
index 88af286c5..5de328704 100644
--- a/.test-defs/apply-flow-azure.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/apply-flow-azure.yaml
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ spec:
       --shoot-name=$SHOOT_NAME
       --project-namespace=$PROJECT_NAMESPACE
       --kubecfg="$TM_KUBECONFIG_PATH/gardener.config"
-  image: golang:1.23.0
+  image: golang:1.23
diff --git a/.test-defs/bastion-test.yaml b/.test-defs/bastion-test.yaml
index 2e0ca2275..e5b0bb87b 100644
--- a/.test-defs/bastion-test.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/bastion-test.yaml
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ spec:
       --client-secret=${CLIENT_SECRET}
       --region=${REGION}
 
-  image: golang:1.23.0
+  image: golang:1.23
diff --git a/.test-defs/infrastructure-test.yaml b/.test-defs/infrastructure-test.yaml
index f1ecad68e..b439c28c8 100644
--- a/.test-defs/infrastructure-test.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/infrastructure-test.yaml
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ spec:
       --region=${REGION}
       --reconciler=${RECONCILER}
 
-  image: golang:1.23.0
+  image: golang:1.23
diff --git a/.test-defs/provider-azure.yaml b/.test-defs/provider-azure.yaml
index 41dc2a63b..2ddc1fd05 100644
--- a/.test-defs/provider-azure.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/provider-azure.yaml
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ spec:
     --network-vnet-cidr=$NETWORK_VNET_CIDR
     --network-worker-cidr=$NETWORK_WORKER_CIDR
     --zoned=$ZONED
-  image: golang:1.23.0
+  image: golang:1.23
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 717cbbcdf..7f0c2fe20 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ############# builder
-FROM golang:1.23.0 AS builder
+FROM golang:1.23.3 AS builder
 
 WORKDIR /go/src/github.com/gardener/gardener-extension-provider-azure
 
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 1b9796e69..8a57d6d93 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/gardener/gardener-extension-provider-azure
 
+// minimum version of Go required
 go 1.23.0
 
 require (