diff --git a/scripts/build-microvm-image.sh b/scripts/build-microvm-image.sh
index d092cf704..8bd89c1bf 100755
--- a/scripts/build-microvm-image.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-microvm-image.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ BUILD_DIR="$REPO_ROOT/build/microvm"
 INIT_SH="$BUILD_DIR/init.sh"
 INITTAB="$BUILD_DIR/inittab"
 
-ALPINE_VERSION="${ALPINE_VERSION:-3.20}"
+ALPINE_VERSION="${ALPINE_VERSION:-3.24}"
 ALPINE_MIRROR="${ALPINE_MIRROR:-https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine}"
 # haproxy: ALB (L7) data plane. nginx + nginx-mod-stream: NLB (L4) data plane —
 # the `stream` module (a separate Alpine package) load-balances TCP/UDP/TLS,
diff --git a/scripts/build-system-image.sh b/scripts/build-system-image.sh
index e2c882fa7..987d8572a 100755
--- a/scripts/build-system-image.sh
+++ b/scripts/build-system-image.sh
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ if [[ "$DISTRO" == "alpine" ]] && [[ -n "${APK_PACKAGES:-}" ]]; then
     CUST+=(--run-command 'sed -i "s|^#\(.*community\)|\1|" /etc/apk/repositories 2>/dev/null || true')
     CUST+=(--run-command 'grep -q community /etc/apk/repositories || grep main /etc/apk/repositories | head -1 | sed "s|/main|/community|" >> /etc/apk/repositories')
     CUST+=(--run-command 'apk update')
+    # The base cloud image's kernel is only as fresh as its release; upgrade so
+    # the AMI ships the branch's current linux-virt and security fixes.
+    CUST+=(--run-command 'apk upgrade')
     CUST+=(--run-command "apk add ${APK_PACKAGES}")
 elif [[ "$DISTRO" == "ubuntu" ]] && [[ -n "${APT_PACKAGES:-}" ]]; then
     echo "Will install packages: ${APT_PACKAGES}"