diff --git a/.java-version b/.java-version
index 9a7c1e503..aabe6ec39 100644
--- a/.java-version
+++ b/.java-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-20.0
+21
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e79a89563..f18605176 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 This list is not intended to be all-encompassing - it will document major and breaking API 
 changes with their rationale when appropriate. Given version `A.B.C.D`, breaking changes are to be expected in version number increments where changes in the `A` or `B` sections:
 
+### v5.2.6.0 (uncut)
+- **http4k-connect-*** - Upgrade dependencies.
+- **http4k-connect-*** - [Breaking - dev] http4k-connect is now built with Java 21.
+
 ### v5.2.5.0
 - **http4k-connect-*** - Upgrade dependencies.
 - **http4k-connect-*** - Generated extension functions create defaults for collections types when they are defaulted in the core Action.
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar
index 033e24c4c..7f93135c4 100644
Binary files a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar and b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.jar differ
diff --git a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
index ac72c34e8..3fa8f862f 100644
--- a/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
+++ b/gradle/wrapper/gradle-wrapper.properties
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
 distributionPath=wrapper/dists
-distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.3-bin.zip
+distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.4-bin.zip
 networkTimeout=10000
 validateDistributionUrl=true
 zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
diff --git a/gradlew b/gradlew
index fcb6fca14..0adc8e1a5 100755
--- a/gradlew
+++ b/gradlew
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ done
 # This is normally unused
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034
 APP_BASE_NAME=${0##*/}
-APP_HOME=$( cd "${APP_HOME:-./}" && pwd -P ) || exit
+# Discard cd standard output in case $CDPATH is set (https://github.com/gradle/gradle/issues/25036)
+APP_HOME=$( cd "${APP_HOME:-./}" > /dev/null && pwd -P ) || exit
 
 # Use the maximum available, or set MAX_FD != -1 to use that value.
 MAX_FD=maximum
diff --git a/settings.gradle.kts b/settings.gradle.kts
index a555584b1..2eda0cf17 100644
--- a/settings.gradle.kts
+++ b/settings.gradle.kts
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ pluginManagement {
 }
 
 plugins {
-    id("de.fayard.refreshVersions").version("0.60.2")
-////                            # available:"0.60.3")
+    id("de.fayard.refreshVersions").version("0.60.3")
 }
 
 refreshVersions {
diff --git a/versions.properties b/versions.properties
index f19ab8262..844964ca5 100644
--- a/versions.properties
+++ b/versions.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #### Dependencies and Plugin versions with their available updates.
-#### Generated by `./gradlew refreshVersions` version 0.60.2
+#### Generated by `./gradlew refreshVersions` version 0.60.3
 ####
 #### Don't manually edit or split the comments that start with four hashtags (####),
 #### they will be overwritten by refreshVersions.
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ version.com.zaxxer..HikariCP=5.0.1
 
 version.dev.forkhandles..forkhandles-bom=2.8.0.0
 
-version.http4k=5.8.6.0
+version.http4k=5.9.0.0
 
 version.io.lettuce..lettuce-core=6.2.6.RELEASE
 
@@ -69,6 +69,6 @@ version.se.ansman.kotshi..api=2.13.1
 
 version.se.ansman.kotshi..compiler=2.13.1
 
-version.software.amazon.awssdk..bom=2.21.8
+version.software.amazon.awssdk..bom=2.21.9
 
 version.com.nimbusds..nimbus-jose-jwt=9.37