diff --git a/Dockerfile.base b/Dockerfile.base
index ad1049f..03a178d 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.base
+++ b/Dockerfile.base
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-# FROM docker.io/debian:bookworm-slim as base-upstream
-ARG PYTHONTAG=3.12.11-slim-bookworm
+# FROM docker.io/debian:trixie-slim as base-upstream
+ARG PYTHONTAG=3.12.11-slim-trixie
 FROM docker.io/python:${PYTHONTAG} AS base-upstream
 
 FROM base-upstream AS base-intermediate
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ ENV PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin \
     PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
     PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1
 
-COPY /apt/prefs.backports  /etc/apt/preferences.d/backports
 COPY /apt/sources.debian   /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.sources
 
 ## prevent services from auto-starting, part 1
@@ -60,6 +59,7 @@ RUN apt-env.sh apt-get update ; \
       openssl \
       procps \
       psmisc \
+      systemd-standalone-sysusers \
       tzdata \
       zstd \
     ; \
diff --git a/apt/prefs.backports b/apt/prefs.backports
deleted file mode 100644
index 12cd445..0000000
--- a/apt/prefs.backports
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-Package: src:curl
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:debhelper
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:elfutils
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:iproute2
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:libbpf
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:systemd
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
-
-Package: src:sysvinit
-Pin: release n=bookworm-backports
-Pin-Priority: 600
diff --git a/apt/sources.debian b/apt/sources.debian
index 75c083a..3433414 100644
--- a/apt/sources.debian
+++ b/apt/sources.debian
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 Types: deb
 URIs: http://deb.debian.org/debian
-Suites: bookworm bookworm-updates bookworm-proposed-updates bookworm-backports
+Suites: trixie trixie-updates trixie-proposed-updates trixie-backports
 Components: main
 Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg
 
 Types: deb
 URIs: http://deb.debian.org/debian-security
-Suites: bookworm-security
+Suites: trixie-security
 Components: main
 Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/debian-archive-keyring.gpg
diff --git a/build-scripts/image-base.sh b/build-scripts/image-base.sh
index 634a895..0b0011a 100755
--- a/build-scripts/image-base.sh
+++ b/build-scripts/image-base.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ BUILDAH_ISOLATION="${BUILDAH_ISOLATION:-chroot}"
 BUILDAH_NETWORK="${BUILDAH_NETWORK:-host}"
 set +a
 
-PYTHONTAG="${PYTHONTAG:-3.12.11-slim-bookworm}"
+PYTHONTAG="${PYTHONTAG:-3.12.11-slim-trixie}"
 
 grab_site_packages() {
 	podman run \