diff --git a/hibernate-reactive-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/reactive/containers/OracleDatabase.java b/hibernate-reactive-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/reactive/containers/OracleDatabase.java
index 05cdaae63d..983494d079 100644
--- a/hibernate-reactive-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/reactive/containers/OracleDatabase.java
+++ b/hibernate-reactive-core/src/test/java/org/hibernate/reactive/containers/OracleDatabase.java
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ class OracleDatabase implements TestableDatabase {
 		}
 	}
 
-	public static final OracleContainer oracle = new OracleContainer( imageName( "gvenzl/oracle-xe", "21-slim-faststart" ) )
+	public static final OracleContainer oracle = new OracleContainer(
+				imageName( "gvenzl/oracle-free", "23.2.0-faststart" )
+					.asCompatibleSubstituteFor( "gvenzl/oracle-xe" ) )
 			.withUsername( DatabaseConfiguration.USERNAME )
 			.withPassword( DatabaseConfiguration.PASSWORD )
 			.withDatabaseName( DatabaseConfiguration.DB_NAME )
diff --git a/podman.md b/podman.md
index bbec3ca934..ebe56f54bc 100644
--- a/podman.md
+++ b/podman.md
@@ -206,5 +206,5 @@ and schema to run the tests:
 [oracle]:https://www.oracle.com/database/technologies/appdev/xe.html
 
 ```
-podman run --rm --name HibernateTestingOracle -e ORACLE_PASSWORD=hreact -e APP_USER=hreact -e APP_USER_PASSWORD=hreact -e ORACLE_DATABASE=hreact -p 1521:1521 docker.io/gvenzl/oracle-xe:21-slim-faststart
+podman run --rm --name HibernateTestingOracle -e ORACLE_PASSWORD=hreact -e APP_USER=hreact -e APP_USER_PASSWORD=hreact -e ORACLE_DATABASE=hreact -p 1521:1521 docker.io/gvenzl/oracle-free:23.2.0-faststart
 ```