diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b36739f3..cc2220b1c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ under `site/kubernetes`.
 
 ## Supported Versions
 
-The operator deploys RabbitMQ `3.8.19` by default, and supports versions from `3.8.8` upwards. The operator requires Kubernetes `1.18` or newer.
+The operator deploys RabbitMQ `3.8.21` by default, and supports versions from `3.8.8` upwards. The operator requires Kubernetes `1.18` or newer.
 
 ## Versioning
 
diff --git a/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types.go b/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types.go
index a64ae17b5..f869f5f29 100644
--- a/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types.go
+++ b/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ type RabbitmqClusterSpec struct {
 	Replicas *int32 `json:"replicas,omitempty"`
 	// Image is the name of the RabbitMQ docker image to use for RabbitMQ nodes in the RabbitmqCluster.
 	// Must be provided together with ImagePullSecrets in order to use an image in a private registry.
-	// +kubebuilder:default:="rabbitmq:3.8.19-management"
+	// +kubebuilder:default:="rabbitmq:3.8.21-management"
 	Image string `json:"image,omitempty"`
 	// List of Secret resource containing access credentials to the registry for the RabbitMQ image. Required if the docker registry is private.
 	ImagePullSecrets []corev1.LocalObjectReference `json:"imagePullSecrets,omitempty"`
diff --git a/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types_test.go b/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types_test.go
index 19e33420e..cbb43e40e 100644
--- a/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types_test.go
+++ b/api/v1beta1/rabbitmqcluster_types_test.go
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ func generateRabbitmqClusterObject(clusterName string) *RabbitmqCluster {
 		},
 		Spec: RabbitmqClusterSpec{
 			Replicas:                      pointer.Int32Ptr(1),
-			Image:                         "rabbitmq:3.8.19-management",
+			Image:                         "rabbitmq:3.8.21-management",
 			TerminationGracePeriodSeconds: pointer.Int64Ptr(604800),
 			Service: RabbitmqClusterServiceSpec{
 				Type: "ClusterIP",
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/rabbitmq.com_rabbitmqclusters.yaml b/config/crd/bases/rabbitmq.com_rabbitmqclusters.yaml
index 1753f5a57..7b9f24b24 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/rabbitmq.com_rabbitmqclusters.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/rabbitmq.com_rabbitmqclusters.yaml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ apiVersion: apiextensions.k8s.io/v1
 kind: CustomResourceDefinition
 metadata:
   annotations:
-    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.6.1
+    controller-gen.kubebuilder.io/version: v0.6.2
   creationTimestamp: null
   name: rabbitmqclusters.rabbitmq.com
 spec:
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ spec:
                       type: object
                   type: object
                 image:
-                  default: rabbitmq:3.8.19-management
+                  default: rabbitmq:3.8.21-management
                   description: Image is the name of the RabbitMQ docker image to use for RabbitMQ nodes in the RabbitmqCluster. Must be provided together with ImagePullSecrets in order to use an image in a private registry.
                   type: string
                 imagePullSecrets:
diff --git a/system_tests/system_test.go b/system_tests/system_test.go
index f619a34bb..55cd7c703 100644
--- a/system_tests/system_test.go
+++ b/system_tests/system_test.go
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Operator", func() {
 				}
 				Eventually(getConfigMapAnnotations, 30, 1).Should(
 					HaveKey("rabbitmq.com/pluginsUpdatedAt"), "plugins ConfigMap should have been annotated")
-				Eventually(getConfigMapAnnotations, 4 * time.Minute, 1).Should(
+				Eventually(getConfigMapAnnotations, 4*time.Minute, 1).Should(
 					Not(HaveKey("rabbitmq.com/pluginsUpdatedAt")), "plugins ConfigMap annotation should have been removed")
 
 				Eventually(func() map[string][]byte {
diff --git a/system_tests/utils.go b/system_tests/utils.go
index 6bb87db30..ea180cd02 100644
--- a/system_tests/utils.go
+++ b/system_tests/utils.go
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ func publishAndConsumeMQTTMsg(hostname, port, username, password string, overWeb
 
 	EventuallyWithOffset(1, func() bool {
 		return msgReceived
-	}, 10 * time.Second).Should(BeTrue(), "Expect to receive message")
+	}, 10*time.Second).Should(BeTrue(), "Expect to receive message")
 
 	token = c.Unsubscribe(topic)
 	ExpectWithOffset(1, token.Wait()).To(BeTrue(), "Unsubscribe token should return true")