diff --git a/.github/workflows/go.yml b/.github/workflows/go.yml
index d3ee290204a..a8c508f9a9e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        go: [1.15]
+        go: [1.16]
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
     steps:
     - name: Setup Go
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 47d15025ba4..f8672179092 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Go
         uses: actions/setup-go@v2
         with:
-          go-version: 1.15
+          go-version: 1.16
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v2
         with:
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 217554aac11..48c601bec77 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM golang:1.15 AS build
+FROM golang:1.16 AS build
 
 WORKDIR /src
 # enable modules caching in separate layer
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6af7cbf6513..a786cacc4ee 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/ethersphere/bee
 
-go 1.14
+go 1.16
 
 require (
 	github.com/btcsuite/btcd v0.21.0-beta