diff --git a/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.17.md b/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.17.md
index ccfa96c74..b8a393295 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.17.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG/CHANGELOG-1.17.md
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ When cutting a new release, update the `unreleased` heading to the tag being gen
 * [BUGFIX] Fix HCD jvm options generation
 * [ENHANCEMENT] [#1278](https://github.com/k8ssandra/k8ssandra-operator/issues/1278) Add toggle to allow the disabling of the Medusa purge CronJob creation
 * [BUGFIX] [#1299](https://github.com/k8ssandra/k8ssandra-operator/issues/1299) CronJob for medusa purge not in the correct namespace
+* [CHANGE] Upgrade Reaper to v3.6.1
diff --git a/apis/reaper/v1alpha1/reaper_types.go b/apis/reaper/v1alpha1/reaper_types.go
index 9a947461e..8745ca454 100644
--- a/apis/reaper/v1alpha1/reaper_types.go
+++ b/apis/reaper/v1alpha1/reaper_types.go
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ type ReaperTemplate struct {
 	SecretsProvider string `json:"secretsProvider,omitempty"`
 
 	// The image to use for the Reaper pod main container.
-	// The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877".
+	// The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1".
 	// +optional
 	// TODO: update with real release version.
-	// +kubebuilder:default={repository:"thelastpickle",name:"cassandra-reaper",tag:"f52e877"}
+	// +kubebuilder:default={repository:"thelastpickle",name:"cassandra-reaper",tag:"3.6.1"}
 	ContainerImage *images.Image `json:"containerImage,omitempty"`
 
 	// Deprecated: The main container image will be used for the init container as well.
diff --git a/charts/k8ssandra-operator/crds/k8ssandra-operator-crds.yaml b/charts/k8ssandra-operator/crds/k8ssandra-operator-crds.yaml
index 7b2bd7b2e..587b2125d 100644
--- a/charts/k8ssandra-operator/crds/k8ssandra-operator-crds.yaml
+++ b/charts/k8ssandra-operator/crds/k8ssandra-operator-crds.yaml
@@ -27551,10 +27551,10 @@ spec:
                     default:
                       name: cassandra-reaper
                       repository: thelastpickle
-                      tag: f52e877
+                      tag: 3.6.1
                     description: |-
                       The image to use for the Reaper pod main container.
-                      The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877".
+                      The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1".
                       TODO: update with real release version.
                     properties:
                       name:
@@ -33389,10 +33389,10 @@ spec:
                 default:
                   name: cassandra-reaper
                   repository: thelastpickle
-                  tag: f52e877
+                  tag: 3.6.1
                 description: |-
                   The image to use for the Reaper pod main container.
-                  The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877".
+                  The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1".
                   TODO: update with real release version.
                 properties:
                   name:
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/k8ssandra.io_k8ssandraclusters.yaml b/config/crd/bases/k8ssandra.io_k8ssandraclusters.yaml
index bed283f7c..83ec43242 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/k8ssandra.io_k8ssandraclusters.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/k8ssandra.io_k8ssandraclusters.yaml
@@ -27489,10 +27489,10 @@ spec:
                     default:
                       name: cassandra-reaper
                       repository: thelastpickle
-                      tag: f52e877
+                      tag: 3.6.1
                     description: |-
                       The image to use for the Reaper pod main container.
-                      The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877".
+                      The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1".
                       TODO: update with real release version.
                     properties:
                       name:
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/reaper.k8ssandra.io_reapers.yaml b/config/crd/bases/reaper.k8ssandra.io_reapers.yaml
index 7636165a4..7f6f7aa38 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/reaper.k8ssandra.io_reapers.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/reaper.k8ssandra.io_reapers.yaml
@@ -1110,10 +1110,10 @@ spec:
                 default:
                   name: cassandra-reaper
                   repository: thelastpickle
-                  tag: f52e877
+                  tag: 3.6.1
                 description: |-
                   The image to use for the Reaper pod main container.
-                  The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877".
+                  The default is "thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1".
                   TODO: update with real release version.
                 properties:
                   name:
diff --git a/pkg/reaper/deployment.go b/pkg/reaper/deployment.go
index 28cdb34b4..0980e8de6 100644
--- a/pkg/reaper/deployment.go
+++ b/pkg/reaper/deployment.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	DefaultImageRepository = "thelastpickle"
 	DefaultImageName       = "cassandra-reaper"
-	DefaultVersion         = "f52e877"
+	DefaultVersion         = "3.6.1"
 	// When changing the default version above, please also change the kubebuilder markers in
 	// apis/reaper/v1alpha1/reaper_types.go accordingly.
 
diff --git a/pkg/reaper/deployment_test.go b/pkg/reaper/deployment_test.go
index 8317012cd..686f4476d 100644
--- a/pkg/reaper/deployment_test.go
+++ b/pkg/reaper/deployment_test.go
@@ -343,8 +343,8 @@ func TestImages(t *testing.T) {
 		reaper.Spec.ContainerImage = nil
 		logger := testlogr.NewTestLogger(t)
 		deployment := NewDeployment(reaper, newTestDatacenter(), nil, nil, logger)
-		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].Image)
-		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Image)
+		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].Image)
+		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Image)
 		assert.Equal(t, corev1.PullIfNotPresent, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].ImagePullPolicy)
 		assert.Equal(t, corev1.PullIfNotPresent, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].ImagePullPolicy)
 		assert.Empty(t, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.ImagePullSecrets)
@@ -354,8 +354,8 @@ func TestImages(t *testing.T) {
 		reaper.Spec.ContainerImage = nil
 		logger := testlogr.NewTestLogger(t)
 		deployment := NewDeployment(reaper, newTestDatacenter(), nil, nil, logger)
-		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].Image)
-		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:f52e877", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Image)
+		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].Image)
+		assert.Equal(t, "docker.io/thelastpickle/cassandra-reaper:3.6.1", deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].Image)
 		assert.Equal(t, corev1.PullIfNotPresent, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.InitContainers[0].ImagePullPolicy)
 		assert.Equal(t, corev1.PullIfNotPresent, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.Containers[0].ImagePullPolicy)
 		assert.Empty(t, deployment.Spec.Template.Spec.ImagePullSecrets)