diff --git a/.test-defs/CreateShoot.yaml b/.test-defs/CreateShoot.yaml
index 20536614655..603276c17b6 100644
--- a/.test-defs/CreateShoot.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/CreateShoot.yaml
@@ -43,4 +43,4 @@ spec:
 #    -machine-type=$MACHINE_TYPE
 #    -external-domain=
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/DeleteShoot.yaml b/.test-defs/DeleteShoot.yaml
index e93b4992ab4..24be4208137 100644
--- a/.test-defs/DeleteShoot.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/DeleteShoot.yaml
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ spec:
     --shoot-name=$SHOOT_NAME
     --project-namespace=$PROJECT_NAMESPACE
     --kubecfg="$TM_KUBECONFIG_PATH/gardener.config"
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/HibernateShoot.yaml b/.test-defs/HibernateShoot.yaml
index 19274ada9ae..f69b2869f92 100644
--- a/.test-defs/HibernateShoot.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/HibernateShoot.yaml
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ spec:
     --project-namespace=$PROJECT_NAMESPACE
     --kubecfg="$TM_KUBECONFIG_PATH/gardener.config"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/MigrateShoot.yaml b/.test-defs/MigrateShoot.yaml
index 933de7b1f52..fd255f38b48 100644
--- a/.test-defs/MigrateShoot.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/MigrateShoot.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ spec:
     -mr-exclude-list="$MR_EXCLUDE_LIST"
     -resources-with-generated-name="$RESOURCES_WITH_GENERATED_NAME"
     -add-test-run-taint="$ADD_TEST_RUN_TAINT"
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/ReconcileShoots.yaml b/.test-defs/ReconcileShoots.yaml
index 2f7f66ca0d1..e19e6aefeba 100644
--- a/.test-defs/ReconcileShoots.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/ReconcileShoots.yaml
@@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ spec:
     -kubecfg=$TM_KUBECONFIG_PATH/gardener.config
     -version=$GARDENER_VERSION
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/ShootKubernetesUpdateTest.yaml b/.test-defs/ShootKubernetesUpdateTest.yaml
index 4c183d26ee5..51162d97369 100644
--- a/.test-defs/ShootKubernetesUpdateTest.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/ShootKubernetesUpdateTest.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ spec:
     -project-namespace=$PROJECT_NAMESPACE
     -version=$K8S_VERSION
     -version-worker-pools=$K8S_VERSION_WORKER_POOLS
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBeta.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBeta.yaml
index 93a668e160e..6e04058d50e 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBeta.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBeta.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[BETA\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBetaSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBetaSerial.yaml
index 146804939a2..bcf67dd3b7b 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBetaSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerBetaSerial.yaml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[BETA\].*\[SERIAL\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefault.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefault.yaml
index 2a9124dabc2..b5157a8774a 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefault.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefault.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[DEFAULT\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefaultSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefaultSerial.yaml
index 69e590b626b..7cd0f8ecf10 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefaultSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerDefaultSerial.yaml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[DEFAULT\].*\[SERIAL\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerRelease.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerRelease.yaml
index eacc31131c9..4711aa6bf3f 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerRelease.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerRelease.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[RELEASE\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerReleaseSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerReleaseSerial.yaml
index 84058b153fb..3cbdac396f9 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerReleaseSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteGardenerReleaseSerial.yaml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[RELEASE\].*\[SERIAL\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBeta.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBeta.yaml
index b90413b1ceb..9c0b7ba4eb5 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBeta.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBeta.yaml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[BETA\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaDisruptive.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaDisruptive.yaml
index 27374918ca0..8f9cc473bf3 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaDisruptive.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaDisruptive.yaml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[BETA\].*\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaSerial.yaml
index b444058f9f8..83ca64aa189 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootBetaSerial.yaml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[BETA\].*\[SERIAL\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefault.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefault.yaml
index 08100993e66..e11f6cb272f 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefault.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefault.yaml
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
       -ginkgo.timeout=2h
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultDisruptive.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultDisruptive.yaml
index 94c7146ea64..e48ee18c9b0 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultDisruptive.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultDisruptive.yaml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[DEFAULT\].*\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultSerial.yaml
index 40ea5fb9222..35543c48499 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootDefaultSerial.yaml
@@ -25,4 +25,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
       -ginkgo.timeout=2h
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootRelease.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootRelease.yaml
index d405f33754b..77ddc364e43 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootRelease.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootRelease.yaml
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[RELEASE\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]|\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseDisruptive.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseDisruptive.yaml
index 68f6df58045..0eeb354467d 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseDisruptive.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseDisruptive.yaml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[RELEASE\].*\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[SERIAL\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseSerial.yaml b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseSerial.yaml
index 182149b9e4b..13d414366b9 100644
--- a/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseSerial.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/TestSuiteShootReleaseSerial.yaml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@ spec:
       -ginkgo.focus="\[RELEASE\].*\[SERIAL\]"
       -ginkgo.skip="\[DISRUPTIVE\]"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0
diff --git a/.test-defs/WakeUpShoot.yaml b/.test-defs/WakeUpShoot.yaml
index 8cf2bc0bd8b..fc9b20dfd8e 100644
--- a/.test-defs/WakeUpShoot.yaml
+++ b/.test-defs/WakeUpShoot.yaml
@@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ spec:
     --project-namespace=$PROJECT_NAMESPACE
     --kubecfg="$TM_KUBECONFIG_PATH/gardener.config"
 
-  image: golang:1.20.7
+  image: golang:1.21.0