diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b739a1b9189..b2b60c3142b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ DB_NAME_TEST = test_db
 DB_DOCKER_CONTAINER_DEV = milmove-db-dev
 DB_DOCKER_CONTAINER_DEPLOYED_MIGRATIONS = milmove-db-deployed-migrations
 DB_DOCKER_CONTAINER_TEST = milmove-db-test
-DB_DOCKER_CONTAINER_IMAGE = postgres:12.11
+DB_DOCKER_CONTAINER_IMAGE = postgres:16.4
 REDIS_DOCKER_CONTAINER_IMAGE = redis:5.0.6
 REDIS_DOCKER_CONTAINER = milmove-redis
 TASKS_DOCKER_CONTAINER = tasks
diff --git a/docker-compose.ecs.yml b/docker-compose.ecs.yml
index 78e32f93b55..66677616f4e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.ecs.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.ecs.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: public.ecr.aws/docker/library/postgres:12.7
+    image: public.ecr.aws/docker/library/postgres:16.4
     environment:
       - POSTGRES_USER=postgres
       - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword
diff --git a/docker-compose.local.yml b/docker-compose.local.yml
index b8b15fa9974..0605a059965 100644
--- a/docker-compose.local.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.local.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: postgres:12.7
+    image: postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - '6432:5432'
diff --git a/docker-compose.mtls.yml b/docker-compose.mtls.yml
index 45fbac1652f..bba79d08cc4 100644
--- a/docker-compose.mtls.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.mtls.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: postgres:12.7
+    image: postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     environment:
       - POSTGRES_USER=postgres
diff --git a/docker-compose.mtls_local.yml b/docker-compose.mtls_local.yml
index f1bed2995c5..f896c7f8a4a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.mtls_local.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.mtls_local.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: postgres:12.7
+    image: postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - '6432:5432'
diff --git a/docker-compose.prime.yml b/docker-compose.prime.yml
index 815b9885512..e2b662913b4 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prime.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prime.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: postgres:12.7
+    image: postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - '6432:5432'
diff --git a/docker-compose.reviewapp.yml b/docker-compose.reviewapp.yml
index b08321d5135..086e46f7a2d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.reviewapp.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.reviewapp.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.4'
 
 services:
   database_review:
-    image: public.ecr.aws/docker/library/postgres:12.7
+    image: public.ecr.aws/docker/library/postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - '6432:5432'
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e05e6ca9995..753b4bb5a50 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ version: '3.3'
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: postgres:12.7
+    image: postgres:16.4
     restart: always
     ports:
       - '6432:5432'
diff --git a/migrations/app/schema/20210113173236_create_crud_role.up.sql b/migrations/app/schema/20210113173236_create_crud_role.up.sql
index 8b89cc0139e..189dd6b017b 100644
--- a/migrations/app/schema/20210113173236_create_crud_role.up.sql
+++ b/migrations/app/schema/20210113173236_create_crud_role.up.sql
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 -- Assume the master role, which has the ability to create roles and grant
 -- group membership to the rds_iam role.
-SET ROLE master;
+-- SET ROLE master;  --commented out because it's not needed for postgres16
 
 -- Create a new role named "crud" (CREATE READ UPDATE DELETE).
 -- Use NOINHERIT so that this low privileged user cannot assume the privileges