diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 837665a4aa..111bc7245f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ If you are using Maven without the BOM, add this to your dependencies:
 <dependency>
   <groupId>com.google.cloud</groupId>
   <artifactId>google-cloud-bigtable</artifactId>
-  <version>2.40.0</version>
+  <version>2.48.0</version>
 </dependency>
 
 ```
diff --git a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/test_helpers/env/TestEnvRule.java b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/test_helpers/env/TestEnvRule.java
index b6e4651c6b..c64d7995a7 100644
--- a/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/test_helpers/env/TestEnvRule.java
+++ b/google-cloud-bigtable/src/test/java/com/google/cloud/bigtable/test_helpers/env/TestEnvRule.java
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.AppProfile;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.Cluster;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.Instance;
+import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.Table;
 import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.UpdateAuthorizedViewRequest;
+import com.google.cloud.bigtable.admin.v2.models.UpdateTableRequest;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -178,8 +180,19 @@ private void cleanupStaleTables(String stalePrefix) {
   }
 
   private void prepTableForDelete(String tableId) {
-    // Unprotected views
     if (!(env() instanceof EmulatorEnv)) {
+      // unprotect table
+      Table table = env().getTableAdminClient().getTable(tableId);
+      if (table.isDeletionProtected() || table.getChangeStreamRetention() != null) {
+        env()
+            .getTableAdminClient()
+            .updateTable(
+                UpdateTableRequest.of(tableId)
+                    .setDeletionProtection(false)
+                    .disableChangeStreamRetention());
+      }
+
+      // Unprotected views
       for (String viewId : env().getTableAdminClient().listAuthorizedViews(tableId)) {
         try {
           env()