diff --git a/molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian11_systemd.j2 b/molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian12_systemd.j2
similarity index 94%
rename from molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian11_systemd.j2
rename to molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian12_systemd.j2
index 24c57ad..703498a 100644
--- a/molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian11_systemd.j2
+++ b/molecule/default/Dockerfile_debian12_systemd.j2
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # docker build -t mantest - < ./Dockerfile.j2
 # docker run -it --privileged --name mantest mantest:latest /sbin/init --tmpfs /tmp --tmpfs /run --tmpfs /run/lock
 
-FROM debian:11-slim
+FROM debian:12-slim
 
 ENV container docker
 ENV LC_ALL C
diff --git a/molecule/default/molecule.yml b/molecule/default/molecule.yml
index 396dce5..19cf5d7 100644
--- a/molecule/default/molecule.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/molecule.yml
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ _references:
       docker_host: 'tcp://molecule-docker.local:2375'
       # docker_host: 'unix://var/run/docker.sock'  # localhost
       purge_networks: true
-      image: 'debian:11-slim'
+      image: 'debian:12-slim'
       # for docker systemd config see: https://serverfault.com/questions/1053187/systemd-fails-to-run-in-a-docker-container-when-using-cgroupv2-cgroupns-priva
-      dockerfile: 'Dockerfile_debian11_systemd.j2'
+      dockerfile: 'Dockerfile_debian12_systemd.j2'
       build_image: yes
       tmpfs: ['/tmp', '/run', '/run/lock']
       privileged: true