diff --git a/build/cqs.tsv b/build/cqs.tsv
index 55a9980f267..bc2e7828472 100644
--- a/build/cqs.tsv
+++ b/build/cqs.tsv
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ org.apache.thrift:libthrift	0.17.0	compile
 org.apache.xml:xml-commons-resolver	1.2	compile
 org.apache.yetus:audience-annotations	0.12.0	compile
 org.apache.yetus:audience-annotations	0.13.0	compile
-org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper	3.9.2	compile
-org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper-jute	3.9.2	compile
+org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper	3.9.3	compile
+org.apache.zookeeper:zookeeper-jute	3.9.3	compile
 org.apiguardian:apiguardian-api	1.1.2	compile
 org.calrissian.mango:mango-core	3.0.0	compile
 org.eclipse.emf:org.eclipse.emf.common	2.15.0	compile
diff --git a/docs/user/upgrade.rst b/docs/user/upgrade.rst
index 51d351e044f..372de49773f 100644
--- a/docs/user/upgrade.rst
+++ b/docs/user/upgrade.rst
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ The following dependencies have been upgraded:
 * hadoop ``3.4.0`` -> ``3.4.1``
 * orc ``1.9.4`` -> ``1.9.5``
 * spring-security ``5.8.14`` -> ``5.8.15``
+* zookeeper ``3.9.2`` -> ``3.9.3``
 
 Version 5.1.0 Upgrade Guide
 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 58d69713d5f..b331c098e0e 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
         <!-- provided artifacts, not bundled to support multiple environments -->
         <accumulo.version>2.1.3</accumulo.version>
         <accumulo-20.version>2.0.1</accumulo-20.version>
-        <zookeeper.version>3.9.2</zookeeper.version>
+        <zookeeper.version>3.9.3</zookeeper.version>
         <thrift.version>0.17.0</thrift.version>
         <thrift-accumulo-20.version>0.12.0</thrift-accumulo-20.version>
         <thrift-cassandra.version>0.12.0</thrift-cassandra.version>
@@ -215,14 +215,14 @@
         <geomesa.devel.version>5.2.0-SNAPSHOT</geomesa.devel.version>
         <copyright.year>2025</copyright.year>
 
-        <!-- recommended installation versions -->
-        <accumulo.version.recommended>2.1.3</accumulo.version.recommended>
-        <hbase.version.recommended>2.5.8</hbase.version.recommended>
+        <!-- recommended installation versions - update as necessary if our versions fall behind -->
+        <accumulo.version.recommended>${accumulo.version}</accumulo.version.recommended>
+        <hbase.version.recommended>${hbase.version}</hbase.version.recommended>
         <hbase.thirdparty.version.recommended>4.1.5</hbase.thirdparty.version.recommended>
         <cassandra.server.version.recommended>3.11.14</cassandra.server.version.recommended>
-        <cassandra.driver.version.recommended>3.11.3</cassandra.driver.version.recommended>
-        <hadoop.version.recommended>3.4.0</hadoop.version.recommended>
-        <zookeeper.version.recommended>3.9.2</zookeeper.version.recommended>
+        <cassandra.driver.version.recommended>${cassandra.version}</cassandra.driver.version.recommended>
+        <hadoop.version.recommended>${hadoop.version}</hadoop.version.recommended>
+        <zookeeper.version.recommended>${zookeeper.version}</zookeeper.version.recommended>
         <confluent.version.recommended>7.6.0</confluent.version.recommended>
     </properties>