diff --git a/.ci-operator.yaml b/.ci-operator.yaml
index a3628cf240..1d88a59fdf 100644
--- a/.ci-operator.yaml
+++ b/.ci-operator.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 build_root_image:
   name: release
   namespace: openshift
-  tag: rhel-9-release-golang-1.25-openshift-4.22
+  tag: rhel-9-release-golang-1.26-openshift-5.0
diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
index 7a429d68a3..f8f7381409 100644
--- a/.go-version
+++ b/.go-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.24.6
+1.26.3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.ocp b/Dockerfile.ocp
index dbf21c19ea..d7ceeed0f7 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.ocp
+++ b/Dockerfile.ocp
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/builder:rhel-9-golang-1.25-openshift-4.22 AS builder
+FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/builder:rhel-9-golang-1.26-openshift-5.0 AS builder
 WORKDIR /go/src/github.com/coredns/coredns
 COPY . .
 RUN GO111MODULE=on GOFLAGS=-mod=vendor go build -o coredns .
 
-FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/4.22:base-rhel9
+FROM registry.ci.openshift.org/ocp/5.0:base-rhel9
 COPY --from=builder /go/src/github.com/coredns/coredns/coredns /usr/bin/
 
 ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/bin/coredns"]
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8146f7560f..1cbc686d46 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ module github.com/coredns/coredns
 
 // Note this minimum version requirement. CoreDNS supports the last two
 // Go versions. This follows the upstream Go project support.
-go 1.25.0
+go 1.26.3
 
 require (
 	github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go v68.0.0+incompatible
diff --git a/plugin/dns64/dns64_test.go b/plugin/dns64/dns64_test.go
index a294721dc6..dba513794d 100644
--- a/plugin/dns64/dns64_test.go
+++ b/plugin/dns64/dns64_test.go
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ func TestDNS64(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			actual := rec.Msg
 			if actual.Rcode != rc {
-				t.Fatalf("ServeDNS should return real result code %q != %q", actual.Rcode, rc)
+				t.Fatalf("ServeDNS should return real result code %d != %d", actual.Rcode, rc)
 			}
 
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(actual, tc.resp) {
diff --git a/plugin/file/secondary_test.go b/plugin/file/secondary_test.go
index 3e36c4b4e8..e5fc7fde27 100644
--- a/plugin/file/secondary_test.go
+++ b/plugin/file/secondary_test.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestShouldTransfer(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Unable to run shouldTransfer: %v", err)
 	}
 	if !should {
-		t.Fatalf("ShouldTransfer should return true for serial: %q", soa.serial-1)
+		t.Fatalf("ShouldTransfer should return true for serial: %d", soa.serial-1)
 	}
 	// Serial equal
 	z.SOA = test.SOA(fmt.Sprintf("%s IN SOA bla. bla. %d 0 0 0 0 ", testZone, soa.serial))
diff --git a/plugin/test/helpers.go b/plugin/test/helpers.go
index a7094a7b6e..a0a306a845 100644
--- a/plugin/test/helpers.go
+++ b/plugin/test/helpers.go
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ func Section(tc Case, sec sect, rr []dns.RR) error {
 				return fmt.Errorf("MX Mx should be %q, but is %q", tt.Mx, x.Mx)
 			}
 			if x.Preference != tt.Preference {
-				return fmt.Errorf("MX Preference should be %q, but is %q", tt.Preference, x.Preference)
+				return fmt.Errorf("MX Preference should be %d, but is %d", tt.Preference, x.Preference)
 			}
 		case *dns.NS:
 			tt := section[i].(*dns.NS)