diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_and_push_to_docker.yml b/.github/workflows/build_and_push_to_docker.yml
index b472de15..a499f512 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_and_push_to_docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_and_push_to_docker.yml
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ jobs:
         fi
 
         docker build docker/batch \
-          --build-arg RENKU_BASE="$DOCKER_NAME-py:3.8-$LABEL" \
-          --build-arg BASE_IMAGE="python:3.8-slim" \
+          --build-arg RENKU_BASE="$DOCKER_NAME-py:3.9-$LABEL" \
+          --build-arg BASE_IMAGE="python:3.9-slim" \
           --tag $DOCKER_NAME-batch:$LABEL
         docker push $DOCKER_NAME-batch:$LABEL
       env:
diff --git a/docker/batch/Dockerfile b/docker/batch/Dockerfile
index 803139dd..2ecbda5d 100644
--- a/docker/batch/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/batch/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # define build arguments
 ARG RENKU_BASE=renku/renkulab-py:latest
-ARG BASE_IMAGE=python:3.8-slim
+ARG BASE_IMAGE=python:3.9-slim
 
 # define base images
 FROM $RENKU_BASE as renku_base