diff --git a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
index 558b9ff88a1..e911528b7b5 100644
--- a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
+++ b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleDowngrade.yaml
@@ -30,18 +30,18 @@
 #    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: 0.43.0
+  toVersion: 0.44.0
   fromExamples: HEAD
-  toExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
+  toExamples: strimzi-0.44.0
   fromUrl: HEAD
-  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.43.0/strimzi-0.43.0.zip
+  toUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.44.0/strimzi-0.44.0.zip
   fromKafkaVersionsUrl: HEAD
   additionalTopics: 2
   imagesAfterOperations:
-    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
+    zookeeper: strimzi/kafka:0.44.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    kafka: strimzi/kafka:0.44.0-kafka-3.7.0
+    topicOperator: strimzi/operator:0.44.0
+    userOperator: strimzi/operator:0.44.0
   deployKafkaVersion: 3.8.0
   client:
     continuousClientsMessages: 400
diff --git a/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml b/systemtest/src/test/resources/upgrade/BundleUpgrade.yaml
index 812cd70c6f8..b3a7eae37fe 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: 0.43.0
-  fromExamples: strimzi-0.43.0
+- fromVersion: 0.44.0
+  fromExamples: strimzi-0.44.0
   oldestKafka: 3.7.0
-  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
+  fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.44.0/strimzi-0.44.0.zip
+  fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.44.0/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 30431956868..c05d32dad78 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: 0.43.0
-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
+fromVersion: 0.44.0
+fromOlmChannelName: strimzi-0.44.x
+fromExamples: strimzi-0.44.0
+fromUrl: https://github.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/releases/download/0.44.0/strimzi-0.44.0.zip
+fromKafkaVersionsUrl: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/strimzi/strimzi-kafka-operator/0.44.0/kafka-versions.yaml
 filePaths:
   kafkaBefore: "/examples/kafka/kafka-persistent.yaml"
   kafkaAfter: "/examples/kafka/kafka-persistent.yaml"