diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-push.yml b/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
index 95a51404..d449399b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-push.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ permissions:
 
 env:
   ## CUDA version and container operating system
-  CUDA_VERSION: 12.5.1
+  CUDA_VERSION: 12.8.2
   CUDA_OS: ubuntu24.04
 
   ## Default versions are specified in packages.yaml but can be overridden
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index d7d701bd..94fab524 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ variables:
   SINGULARITY_IMAGE: quay.io/singularity/singularity:v3.11.5
 
   ## CUDA version and container operating system
-  CUDA_VERSION: 12.5.1
+  CUDA_VERSION: 12.8.2
   CUDA_OS: ubuntu24.04
 
   ## Default versions are specified in packages.yaml but can be overridden
diff --git a/containers/debian/Dockerfile b/containers/debian/Dockerfile
index 3117ca8a..93d037b6 100644
--- a/containers/debian/Dockerfile
+++ b/containers/debian/Dockerfile
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ apt-get -yqq update
 apt-get -yqq install cpp${GCC} gcc${GCC} g++${GCC} gfortran${GCC}
 apt-get -yqq install clang${CLANG} clang-tidy${CLANG} clang-format${CLANG} libclang${CLANG}-dev libc++${CLANG}-dev
 apt-get -yqq autoremove
-# Remove symlinks loop in nvidia/cuda:12.5.1-devel-ubuntu24.04
+# Remove existing cpp alternative symlinks to avoid symlink loops in CUDA base images
 rm -f /usr/bin/cpp /etc/alternatives/cpp
 # Ensure alternatives without version tags
 update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/cpp cpp /usr/bin/cpp${GCC} 100