diff --git a/reana_commons/config.py b/reana_commons/config.py
index 57f413c7..1a031f1f 100644
--- a/reana_commons/config.py
+++ b/reana_commons/config.py
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ def default_workspace():
 REANA_WORKFLOW_ENGINES = ["yadage", "cwl", "serial", "snakemake"]
 """Available workflow engines."""
 
-REANA_DEFAULT_SNAKEMAKE_ENV_IMAGE = "docker.io/snakemake/snakemake:v6.8.0"
+REANA_DEFAULT_SNAKEMAKE_ENV_IMAGE = "docker.io/snakemake/snakemake:v7.32.4"
 """Snakemake default job environment image."""
 
 REANA_JOB_CONTROLLER_CONNECTION_CHECK_SLEEP = float(
diff --git a/reana_commons/snakemake.py b/reana_commons/snakemake.py
index f942853b..0d696bfd 100644
--- a/reana_commons/snakemake.py
+++ b/reana_commons/snakemake.py
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def _create_snakemake_dag(
         if workdir:
             workflow.workdir(workdir)
 
-        workflow.include(snakefile=snakefile, overwrite_first_rule=True)
+        workflow.include(snakefile=snakefile, overwrite_default_target=True)
         workflow.check()
 
         # code copied and adapted from `snakemake.workflow.Workflow.execute()`
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@ def files(items):
 
         if not kwargs.get("targets"):
             targets = (
-                [workflow.first_rule] if workflow.first_rule is not None else list()
+                [workflow.default_target]
+                if workflow.default_target is not None
+                else list()
             )
 
         prioritytargets = kwargs.get("prioritytargets", [])
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ def files(items):
             omitrules=omitrules,
         )
 
-        workflow.persistence = Persistence(dag=dag)
+        workflow._persistence = Persistence(dag=dag)
         dag.init()
         dag.update_checkpoint_dependencies()
         dag.check_dynamic()
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 935e575b..75ae33f0 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -35,13 +35,11 @@
     "yadage": ["adage~=0.10.1", "yadage~=0.20.1", "yadage-schemas~=0.10.6"],
     "cwl": ["cwltool==3.1.20210628163208"],
     "snakemake": [
-        "snakemake==6.8.0 ; python_version<'3.12'",
-        "snakemake==7.9.0 ; python_version>='3.12'",
+        "snakemake==7.32.4",
         "tabulate<0.9",
     ],
     "snakemake_reports": [
-        "snakemake[reports]==6.8.0 ; python_version<'3.12'",
-        "snakemake[reports]==7.9.0 ; python_version>='3.12'",
+        "snakemake==7.32.4",
         "pygraphviz<1.8",
         "tabulate<0.9",  # tabulate 0.9 crashes snakemake, more info: https://github.com/snakemake/snakemake/issues/1899
     ],
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 87454803..b14231b1 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def dummy_snakefile():
         "results/foo.txt",
         "results/bar.txt",
         "results/baz.txt"
+    default_target: True
 
 rule foo:
     input:
diff --git a/tests/test_snakemake.py b/tests/test_snakemake.py
index 314b8a59..f7c48b7a 100644
--- a/tests/test_snakemake.py
+++ b/tests/test_snakemake.py
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@
 
 def test_snakemake_load(tmpdir, dummy_snakefile):
     """Test that Snakemake metadata is loaded properly."""
-    if sys.version_info.major == 3 and sys.version_info.minor in (11, 12):
-        pytest.xfail(
-            "Snakemake features of reana-client are not supported on Python 3.11"
-        )
     workdir = tmpdir.mkdir("sub")
     # write Snakefile
     p = workdir.join("Snakefile")