diff --git a/systemtest/src/main/java/io/strimzi/systemtest/Environment.java b/systemtest/src/main/java/io/strimzi/systemtest/Environment.java
index f0bef817d0a..fd6162144ba 100644
--- a/systemtest/src/main/java/io/strimzi/systemtest/Environment.java
+++ b/systemtest/src/main/java/io/strimzi/systemtest/Environment.java
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ public class Environment {
     private static final String ST_CLIENTS_KAFKA_VERSION_DEFAULT = "3.8.0";
     public static final String TEST_CLIENTS_VERSION_DEFAULT = "0.9.1";
     public static final String ST_FILE_PLUGIN_URL_DEFAULT = "https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/org/apache/kafka/connect-file/" + ST_KAFKA_VERSION_DEFAULT + "/connect-file-" + ST_KAFKA_VERSION_DEFAULT + ".jar";
-    public static final String OLM_OPERATOR_VERSION_DEFAULT = "0.42.0";
+    public static final String OLM_OPERATOR_VERSION_DEFAULT = "0.43.0";
 
     public static final String IP_FAMILY_DEFAULT = "ipv4";
     public static final String IP_FAMILY_VERSION_6 = "ipv6";
diff --git a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
index 8eb5a5c4543..6640aa0cd81 100644
--- a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
+++ b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
@@ -30,19 +30,19 @@
 #    kafkaKRaftAfter: path to Kafka and KafkaNodePool resources (KRaft mode), collected in one file, in the version of Strimzi, to which we are doing the downgrade
 # --- Structure ---
 - fromVersion: HEAD
-  toVersion: 0.42.0
+  toVersion: 0.43.0
   fromExamples: HEAD
-  toExamples: strimzi-0.42.0
+  toExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
   fromUrl: HEAD
-  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.42.0/strimzi-0.42.0.zip
+  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
   fromKafkaVersionsUrl: HEAD
   additionalTopics: 2
   imagesAfterOperations:
-    zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:0.42.0-kafka-3.7.0
-    kafka: strimzi/kafka:0.42.0-kafka-3.7.0
-    topicOperator: strimzi/operator:0.42.0
-    userOperator: strimzi/operator:0.42.0
-  deployKafkaVersion: 3.7.0
+    zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:0.43.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    kafka: strimzi/kafka:0.43.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    topicOperator: strimzi/operator:0.43.0
+    userOperator: strimzi/operator:0.43.0
+  deployKafkaVersion: 3.8.0
   client:
     continuousClientsMessages: 500
   environmentInfo:
@@ -58,19 +58,19 @@
     kafkaKRaftBefore: "/examples/kafka/kraft/kafka.yaml"
     kafkaKRaftAfter: "/examples/kafka/kraft/kafka.yaml"
 - fromVersion: HEAD
-  toVersion: 0.42.0
+  toVersion: 0.43.0
   fromExamples: HEAD
-  toExamples: strimzi-0.42.0
+  toExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
   fromUrl: HEAD
-  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.42.0/strimzi-0.42.0.zip
+  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
   fromKafkaVersionsUrl: HEAD
   additionalTopics: 2
   imagesAfterOperations:
-    zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:0.42.0-kafka-3.7.0
-    kafka: strimzi/kafka:0.42.0-kafka-3.7.0
-    topicOperator: strimzi/operator:0.42.0
-    userOperator: strimzi/operator:0.42.0
-  deployKafkaVersion: 3.7.0
+    zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:0.43.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    kafka: strimzi/kafka:0.43.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    topicOperator: strimzi/operator:0.43.0
+    userOperator: strimzi/operator:0.43.0
+  deployKafkaVersion: 3.8.0
   client:
     continuousClientsMessages: 500
   environmentInfo:
diff --git a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml
index fd83e1617c0..f8d43e90d31 100644
--- a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml
+++ b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@
 #    kafkaKRaftAfter: path to Kafka and KafkaNodePool resources (KRaft mode), collected in one file, in the version of Strimzi, to which we are doing the upgrade
 #  --- Structure ---
 
-- fromVersion: 0.42.0
-  fromExamples: strimzi-0.42.0
+- fromVersion: 0.43.0
+  fromExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
   oldestKafka: 3.7.0
-  fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.42.0/strimzi-0.42.0.zip
-  fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.42.0/kafka-versions.yaml
+  fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
+  fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.43.0/kafka-versions.yaml
   additionalTopics: 2
   imagesAfterOperations:
     zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:latest-kafka-3.8.0
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@
     kafkaAfter: "/examples/kafka/kafka-persistent.yaml"
     kafkaKRaftBefore: "/examples/kafka/kraft/kafka.yaml"
     kafkaKRaftAfter: "/examples/kafka/kraft/kafka.yaml"
-- fromVersion: 0.42.0
-  fromExamples: strimzi-0.42.0
+- fromVersion: 0.43.0
+  fromExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
   oldestKafka: 3.7.0
-  fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.42.0/strimzi-0.42.0.zip
-  fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.42.0/kafka-versions.yaml
+  fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
+  fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.43.0/kafka-versions.yaml
   additionalTopics: 2
   imagesAfterOperations:
     zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:latest-kafka-3.8.0
diff --git a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/OlmUpgrade.yaml b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/OlmUpgrade.yaml
index 0e069889132..30431956868 100644
--- a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/OlmUpgrade.yaml
+++ b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/OlmUpgrade.yaml
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@
 #  Kubernetes cluster.
 #  --- Prerequisites ---
 
-fromVersion: 0.42.0
-fromOlmChannelName: strimzi-0.42.x
-fromExamples: strimzi-0.42.0
-fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.42.0/strimzi-0.42.0.zip
-fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.42.0/kafka-versions.yaml
+fromVersion: 0.43.0
+fromOlmChannelName: strimzi-0.43.x
+fromExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
+fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
+fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.43.0/kafka-versions.yaml
 filePaths:
   kafkaBefore: "/examples/kafka/kafka-persistent.yaml"
   kafkaAfter: "/examples/kafka/kafka-persistent.yaml"