diff --git a/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types.go b/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types.go
index df767d695..c56b63329 100644
--- a/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types.go
+++ b/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ type Mount struct {
 
 const (
 	defaultK0SImage   = "k0sproject/k0s"
-	defaultK0SVersion = "v1.27.9-k0s.0"
+	defaultK0SVersion = "v1.30.4-k0s.0"
 	defaultK0SSuffix  = "k0s.0"
 )
 
diff --git a/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types_test.go b/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types_test.go
index 014c56f57..82e9b9da0 100644
--- a/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types_test.go
+++ b/api/k0smotron.io/v1beta1/k0smotroncluster_types_test.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func TestClusterSpec_GetImage(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "Nothing given",
 			spec: &ClusterSpec{},
-			want: "k0sproject/k0s:v1.27.9-k0s.0",
+			want: "k0sproject/k0s:v1.30.4-k0s.0",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Only version given with suffix",
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func TestClusterSpec_GetImage(t *testing.T) {
 			spec: &ClusterSpec{
 				Image: "foobar/k0s",
 			},
-			want: "foobar/k0s:v1.27.9-k0s.0",
+			want: "foobar/k0s:v1.30.4-k0s.0",
 		},
 		{
 			name: "Image and version given",
diff --git a/inttest/Makefile.variables b/inttest/Makefile.variables
index 4ce130ad7..4c2957a80 100644
--- a/inttest/Makefile.variables
+++ b/inttest/Makefile.variables
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ alpine_version = 3.18
 alpine_patch_version = $(alpine_version).2
 golang_buildimage=docker.io/library/golang:$(go_version)-alpine$(alpine_version)
 go_version = 1.22.6
-kubernetes_version=1.27.2
+kubernetes_version=1.30.4
 
 smoketests := \
     check-basic \
diff --git a/inttest/capi-config-update-vm/capi_config_update_vm_test.go b/inttest/capi-config-update-vm/capi_config_update_vm_test.go
index 6c9ae350e..8ba060a21 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-config-update-vm/capi_config_update_vm_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-config-update-vm/capi_config_update_vm_test.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ metadata:
   name: docker-test
 spec:
   replicas: 1
-  version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
   k0sConfigSpec:
     k0s:
       apiVersion: k0s.k0sproject.io/v1beta1
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ metadata:
   name: docker-test
 spec:
   replicas: 1
-  version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
   k0sConfigSpec:
     k0s:
       apiVersion: k0s.k0sproject.io/v1beta1
diff --git a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
index 932de227c..cb9205732 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker-worker/capi_controlplane_docker_worker_test.go
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ metadata:
   name: docker-test
 spec:
   replicas: 1
-  version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
   k0sConfigSpec:
     k0s:
       apiVersion: k0s.k0sproject.io/v1beta1
diff --git a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker/capi_controlplane_docker_test.go b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker/capi_controlplane_docker_test.go
index 5909a3b2a..137085969 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker/capi_controlplane_docker_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-controlplane-docker/capi_controlplane_docker_test.go
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ metadata:
   name: docker-test
 spec:
   replicas: 3
-  version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
   k0sConfigSpec:
     k0s:
       apiVersion: k0s.k0sproject.io/v1beta1
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ metadata:
   name:  docker-test-worker-0
   namespace: default
 spec:
-  version: v1.27.1
+  version: v1.30.4
   clusterName: docker-test-cluster
   bootstrap:
     configRef:
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ metadata:
   namespace: default
 spec:
   # version is deliberately different to be able to verify we actually pick it up :)
-  version: v1.27.1+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
   args:
     - --labels=k0sproject.io/foo=bar
   preStartCommands:
@@ -330,6 +330,6 @@ metadata:
   name: test-file-secret
   namespace: default
 type: Opaque
-data:
+data: 
   value: dGVzdA==
 `
diff --git a/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass-k0smotron/capi_docker_clusterclass_k0smotron_test.go b/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass-k0smotron/capi_docker_clusterclass_k0smotron_test.go
index 70452b2e5..8346cd6ec 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass-k0smotron/capi_docker_clusterclass_k0smotron_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass-k0smotron/capi_docker_clusterclass_k0smotron_test.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   topology:
     class: k0smotron-cluster-class
-    version: v1.27.2
+    version: v1.30.4
     workers:
       machineDeployments:
       - class: docker-test-default-worker
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   template:
     spec:
-      version: v1.27.2-k0s.0
+      version: v1.30.4-k0s.0
       persistence:
         type: emptyDir
       service:
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   template:
     spec:
-      version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+      version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
 ---
 apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: ClusterClass
diff --git a/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass/capi_docker_clusterclass_test.go b/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass/capi_docker_clusterclass_test.go
index 63f596a72..79dd557c6 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass/capi_docker_clusterclass_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-docker-clusterclass/capi_docker_clusterclass_test.go
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   topology:
     class: k0smotron-clusterclass
-    version: v1.27.2
+    version: v1.30.4
     workers:
       machineDeployments:
       - class: docker-test-default-worker
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ metadata:
 spec:
   template:
     spec:
-      version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+      version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
 ---
 apiVersion: cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: ClusterClass
diff --git a/inttest/capi-docker/capi_docker_test.go b/inttest/capi-docker/capi_docker_test.go
index 5243fdb0b..f10efc39a 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-docker/capi_docker_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-docker/capi_docker_test.go
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ func (s *CAPIDockerSuite) TestCAPIDocker() {
 	s.Require().NoError(util.WaitForNodeReadyStatus(s.ctx, kmcKC, "docker-test-0", corev1.ConditionTrue))
 	node, err := kmcKC.CoreV1().Nodes().Get(s.ctx, "docker-test-0", metav1.GetOptions{})
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
-	s.Require().Equal("v1.27.1+k0s", node.Status.NodeInfo.KubeletVersion)
+	s.Require().Equal("v1.30.4+k0s", node.Status.NodeInfo.KubeletVersion)
 	fooLabel, ok := node.Labels["k0sproject.io/foo"]
 	s.Require().True(ok)
 	s.Require().Equal("bar", fooLabel)
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ kind: K0smotronControlPlane
 metadata:
   name: docker-test-cp
 spec:
-  version: v1.27.2-k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4-k0s.0
   certificateRefs:
     - name: docker-test-ca
       type: ca
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ metadata:
   name:  docker-test-0
   namespace: default
 spec:
-  version: v1.27.1
+  version: v1.30.4
   clusterName: docker-test
   bootstrap:
     configRef:
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ metadata:
   namespace: default
 spec:
   # version is deliberately different to be able to verify we actually pick it up :)
-  version: v1.27.1+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.3+k0s.0
   args:
     - --labels=k0sproject.io/foo=bar
   preStartCommands:
diff --git a/inttest/capi-remote-machine-job-provision/capi_remote_machine_job_provision_test.go b/inttest/capi-remote-machine-job-provision/capi_remote_machine_job_provision_test.go
index 8fb3b02fb..07d083380 100644
--- a/inttest/capi-remote-machine-job-provision/capi_remote_machine_job_provision_test.go
+++ b/inttest/capi-remote-machine-job-provision/capi_remote_machine_job_provision_test.go
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ metadata:
   name: remote-test
   namespace: default
 spec:
-  version: v1.27.2-k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4-k0s.0
   persistence:
     type: emptyDir
   service:
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ metadata:
   name: remote-test-0
   namespace: default
 spec:
-  version: v1.27.2+k0s.0
+  version: v1.30.4+k0s.0
 ---
 apiVersion: infrastructure.cluster.x-k8s.io/v1beta1
 kind: RemoteMachine
diff --git a/inttest/footloose-alpine/Dockerfile b/inttest/footloose-alpine/Dockerfile
index 9654c9945..9b24b65bf 100644
--- a/inttest/footloose-alpine/Dockerfile
+++ b/inttest/footloose-alpine/Dockerfile
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ RUN curl -Lo /usr/local/bin/kubectl https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-re
 ENV KUBECONFIG=/var/lib/k0s/pki/admin.conf
 
 # Install latest k0s
-RUN curl -sSLf https://get.k0s.sh | K0S_VERSION=v1.27.2+k0s.0 sh
+RUN curl -sSLf https://get.k0s.sh | K0S_VERSION=v1.30.4+k0s.0 sh