diff --git a/charts/linkerd2-cni/README.md b/charts/linkerd2-cni/README.md
index fbd3bd0f9c680..1b050b9032730 100644
--- a/charts/linkerd2-cni/README.md
+++ b/charts/linkerd2-cni/README.md
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Kubernetes: `>=1.22.0-0`
 | ignoreOutboundPorts | string | `""` | Default set of outbound ports to skip via iptables |
 | image.name | string | `"cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin"` | Docker image for the CNI plugin |
 | image.pullPolicy | string | `"IfNotPresent"` | Pull policy for the linkerd-cni container |
-| image.version | string | `"v1.5.2"` | Tag for the CNI container Docker image |
+| image.version | string | `"v1.6.0"` | Tag for the CNI container Docker image |
 | imagePullSecrets | list | `[]` |  |
 | inboundProxyPort | int | `4143` | Inbound port for the proxy container |
 | iptablesMode | string | `"legacy"` | Variant of iptables that will be used to configure routing |
diff --git a/charts/linkerd2-cni/values.yaml b/charts/linkerd2-cni/values.yaml
index 01195dd3a1c20..6eaa19965afb6 100644
--- a/charts/linkerd2-cni/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/linkerd2-cni/values.yaml
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ image:
   # -- Docker image for the CNI plugin
   name: "cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin"
   # -- Tag for the CNI container Docker image
-  version: "v1.5.2"
+  version: "v1.6.0"
   # -- Pull policy for the linkerd-cni container
   pullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 
diff --git a/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_default.golden b/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_default.golden
index ec6dfb1613bf2..87af4aae42e79 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_default.golden
+++ b/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_default.golden
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ spec:
       # script copies the files into place and then sleeps so
       # that Kubernetes doesn't keep trying to restart it.
       - name: install-cni
-        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.5.2
+        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.6.0
         imagePullPolicy: 
         env:
         - name: DEST_CNI_NET_DIR
diff --git a/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_skip_ports.golden b/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_skip_ports.golden
index 68e93232e6711..9f64f85d573b9 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_skip_ports.golden
+++ b/cli/cmd/testdata/install-cni-plugin_skip_ports.golden
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ spec:
       # script copies the files into place and then sleeps so
       # that Kubernetes doesn't keep trying to restart it.
       - name: install-cni
-        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.5.2
+        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.6.0
         imagePullPolicy: 
         env:
         - name: DEST_CNI_NET_DIR
diff --git a/cli/cmd/testdata/install_cni_helm_default_output.golden b/cli/cmd/testdata/install_cni_helm_default_output.golden
index 9cc889c76fa0e..8e574f5f4491b 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/testdata/install_cni_helm_default_output.golden
+++ b/cli/cmd/testdata/install_cni_helm_default_output.golden
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ spec:
       # script copies the files into place and then sleeps so
       # that Kubernetes doesn't keep trying to restart it.
       - name: install-cni
-        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.5.2
+        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.6.0
         imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
         env:
         - name: DEST_CNI_NET_DIR
diff --git a/pkg/healthcheck/healthcheck_test.go b/pkg/healthcheck/healthcheck_test.go
index c511d7198a515..d2430080481dc 100644
--- a/pkg/healthcheck/healthcheck_test.go
+++ b/pkg/healthcheck/healthcheck_test.go
@@ -2372,7 +2372,7 @@ spec:
       serviceAccountName: linkerd-cni
       containers:
       - name: install-cni
-        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.5.2
+        image: cr.l5d.io/linkerd/cni-plugin:v1.6.0
         env:
         - name: DEST_CNI_NET_DIR
           valueFrom:
diff --git a/pkg/version/version.go b/pkg/version/version.go
index 888b7c6104b75..3ae213f5bc96e 100644
--- a/pkg/version/version.go
+++ b/pkg/version/version.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ var Version = undefinedVersion
 // https://github.com/linkerd/linkerd2-proxy-init This has to be kept in sync
 // with the default version in the control plane's values.yaml.
 var ProxyInitVersion = "v2.4.1"
-var LinkerdCNIVersion = "v1.5.2"
+var LinkerdCNIVersion = "v1.6.0"
 
 const (
 	// undefinedVersion should take the form `channel-version` to conform to