diff --git a/.changelog/19709.txt b/.changelog/19709.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4e51259a27a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/19709.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+build: update to go 1.21.6
+```
diff --git a/.go-version b/.go-version
index ce2dd53570b..c262b1f0dfd 100644
--- a/.go-version
+++ b/.go-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.21.5
+1.21.6
diff --git a/contributing/README.md b/contributing/README.md
index a432f8d2033..30baf14abf4 100644
--- a/contributing/README.md
+++ b/contributing/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ A development environment is supplied via Vagrant to make getting started easier
 
 Developing without Vagrant
 ---
-1. Install [Go 1.21.5+](https://golang.org/) *(Note: `gcc-go` is not supported)*
+1. Install [Go 1.21.6+](https://golang.org/) *(Note: `gcc-go` is not supported)*
 1. Clone this repo
    ```sh
    $ git clone https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad.git
diff --git a/scripts/linux-priv-go.sh b/scripts/linux-priv-go.sh
index ad9f901d9bf..ddc9cdcaed1 100755
--- a/scripts/linux-priv-go.sh
+++ b/scripts/linux-priv-go.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ case $(arch) in
 esac
 
 function install_go() {
-	local go_version="1.21.5"
+	local go_version="1.21.6"
 	local download="https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go${go_version}.linux-${ARCH}.tar.gz"
 
 	if go version 2>&1 | grep -q "${go_version}"; then
diff --git a/scripts/release/mac-remote-build b/scripts/release/mac-remote-build
index 3cb71e3b3e2..91770e18b47 100755
--- a/scripts/release/mac-remote-build
+++ b/scripts/release/mac-remote-build
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ REPO_PATH="${TMP_WORKSPACE}/gopath/src/github.com/hashicorp/nomad"
 mkdir -p "${TMP_WORKSPACE}/tmp"
 
 install_go() {
-  local go_version="1.21.5"
+  local go_version="1.21.6"
   local download=
 
   download="https://storage.googleapis.com/golang/go${go_version}.darwin-amd64.tar.gz"