diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-deploy.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-deploy.yml
index 94b1ee46c48..06c16b64bc1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-deploy.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-deploy.yml
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 1
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
+      - name: Set up JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: liberica
-          java-version: '17'
+          java-version: '21'
       - name: Make buildkit default
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
         id: buildx
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
index 6087ecb6db2..b90cdc2fc2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-test.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 env:
   MAVEN_OPTS: -DtrimStackTrace=false -D'maven.resolver.transport=wagon'
-  DEV_JDK: '17'
+  DEV_JDK: '21'
 jobs:
   license:
     name: License check
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, macOS-latest]
-        jvm: ['17', '21']
+        jvm: ['21']
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-xqts.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-xqts.yml
index f326aec0910..883e50bf4ae 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-xqts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-xqts.yml
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
+      - name: Set up JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: liberica
-          java-version: '17'
+          java-version: '21'
       - name: Cache Maven packages
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/sonarcloud.yml b/.github/workflows/sonarcloud.yml
index 1bc41d15196..cfd886ece17 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sonarcloud.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sonarcloud.yml
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0  # Shallow clones should be disabled for a better relevancy of analysis
-      - name: Set up JDK 17
+      - name: Set up JDK 21
         uses: actions/setup-java@v4
         with:
           distribution: liberica
-          java-version: 17
+          java-version: 21
       - name: Cache SonarCloud packages
         uses: actions/cache@v4
         with:
diff --git a/exist-parent/pom.xml b/exist-parent/pom.xml
index b9e1d4c3959..e0941c26bf0 100644
--- a/exist-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/exist-parent/pom.xml
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@
     </mailingLists>
 
     <properties>
-        <project.build.source>17</project.build.source>
-        <project.build.target>17</project.build.target>
+        <project.build.source>21</project.build.source>
+        <project.build.target>21</project.build.target>
         <project.build.sourceEncoding>UTF-8</project.build.sourceEncoding>
 
         <project.copyright.name>The eXist-db Authors</project.copyright.name>