diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index d3f85a5bd6..fb9f8ac512 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # This image will be published as dspace/dspace
 # See https://github.com/DSpace/DSpace/tree/main/dspace/src/main/docker for usage details
 #
-# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace: dspace/dspace:latest
+# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace: dspace/dspace:dspace-8_x
 
 # This Dockerfile uses JDK17 by default.
 # To build with other versions, use "--build-arg JDK_VERSION=[value]"
 ARG JDK_VERSION=17
-ARG DSPACE_VERSION=latest
+ARG DSPACE_VERSION=dspace-8_x
 
 # Step 1 - Run Maven Build
 FROM dspace/dspace-dependencies:${DSPACE_VERSION} AS build
diff --git a/Dockerfile.cli b/Dockerfile.cli
index 5254d1eb4d..7de72511e8 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.cli
+++ b/Dockerfile.cli
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # This image will be published as dspace/dspace-cli
 # See https://github.com/DSpace/DSpace/tree/main/dspace/src/main/docker for usage details
 #
-# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace-cli: dspace/dspace-cli:latest
+# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace-cli: dspace/dspace-cli:dspace-8_x
 
 # This Dockerfile uses JDK17 by default.
 # To build with other versions, use "--build-arg JDK_VERSION=[value]"
 ARG JDK_VERSION=17
-ARG DSPACE_VERSION=latest
+ARG DSPACE_VERSION=dspace-8_x
 
 # Step 1 - Run Maven Build
 FROM dspace/dspace-dependencies:${DSPACE_VERSION} AS build
diff --git a/Dockerfile.test b/Dockerfile.test
index 218126b17a..921c57e699 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.test
+++ b/Dockerfile.test
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 # This image will be published as dspace/dspace
 # See https://github.com/DSpace/DSpace/tree/main/dspace/src/main/docker for usage details
 #
-# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace: dspace/dspace:latest-test
+# - note: default tag for branch: dspace/dspace: dspace/dspace:8_x-test
 #
 # This image is meant for TESTING/DEVELOPMENT ONLY as it deploys the old v6 REST API under HTTP (not HTTPS)
 
 # This Dockerfile uses JDK17 by default.
 # To build with other versions, use "--build-arg JDK_VERSION=[value]"
 ARG JDK_VERSION=17
-ARG DSPACE_VERSION=latest
+ARG DSPACE_VERSION=dspace-8_x
 
 # Step 1 - Run Maven Build
 FROM dspace/dspace-dependencies:${DSPACE_VERSION} AS build
diff --git a/docker-compose-cli.yml b/docker-compose-cli.yml
index 91f89916d2..dd77bdf108 100644
--- a/docker-compose-cli.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-cli.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ networks:
     external: true
 services:
   dspace-cli:
-    image: "${DOCKER_OWNER:-dspace}/dspace-cli:${DSPACE_VER:-latest}"
+    image: "${DOCKER_OWNER:-dspace}/dspace-cli:${DSPACE_VER:-dspace-8_x}"
     container_name: dspace-cli
     build:
       context: .
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 6a930a8d31..4322c71734 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ services:
       # from the host machine. This IP range MUST correspond to the 'dspacenet' subnet defined above.
       proxies__P__trusted__P__ipranges: '172.23.0'
       LOGGING_CONFIG: /dspace/config/log4j2-container.xml
-    image: "${DOCKER_OWNER:-dspace}/dspace:${DSPACE_VER:-latest-test}"
+    image: "${DOCKER_OWNER:-dspace}/dspace:${DSPACE_VER:-dspace-8_x-test}"
     build:
       context: .
       dockerfile: Dockerfile.test