diff --git a/.github/workflows/rust.yml b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
index 61608bf2..67b855fd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rust.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rust.yml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ jobs:
     if: github.event_name == 'push' || github.event_name == 'schedule' || github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name != github.repository
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        rust: [stable, nightly, "1.85"] # 1.85 is the MSRV
+        rust: [stable, nightly, "1.86"] # 1.85 is the MSRV
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
 
     name: Build & test
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 1c3af16c..421cc2fa 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ resolver = "2"
 
 [workspace.package]
 edition = "2024"
-rust-version = "1.85"
+rust-version = "1.86"
 license = "MIT OR Apache-2.0"
 homepage = "https://cot.rs"
 repository = "https://github.com/cot-rs/cot"
diff --git a/cot-macros/src/admin.rs b/cot-macros/src/admin.rs
index 9c09271a..1e1763e0 100644
--- a/cot-macros/src/admin.rs
+++ b/cot-macros/src/admin.rs
@@ -97,10 +97,6 @@ impl AdminModelDeriveBuilder {
         quote! {
             #[#crate_ident::__private::async_trait]
             impl #crate_ident::admin::AdminModel for #name {
-                fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn ::core::any::Any {
-                    self
-                }
-
                 async fn get_total_object_counts(
                     request: &#crate_ident::request::Request,
                 ) -> #crate_ident::Result<u64> {
diff --git a/cot/src/admin.rs b/cot/src/admin.rs
index 42f193a2..1c599644 100644
--- a/cot/src/admin.rs
+++ b/cot/src/admin.rs
@@ -528,10 +528,8 @@ impl<T: AdminModel + Send + Sync + 'static> AdminModelManager for DefaultAdminMo
     }
 
     async fn form_context_from_object(&self, object: Box<dyn AdminModel>) -> Box<dyn FormContext> {
-        let object_casted = object
-            .as_any()
-            .downcast_ref::<T>()
-            .expect("Invalid object type");
+        let object_any: &dyn Any = &*object;
+        let object_casted = object_any.downcast_ref::<T>().expect("Invalid object type");
 
         T::form_context_from_self(object_casted).await
     }
@@ -557,11 +555,6 @@ impl<T: AdminModel + Send + Sync + 'static> AdminModelManager for DefaultAdminMo
     note = "add #[derive(cot::admin::AdminModel)] to the struct to automatically derive the trait"
 )]
 pub trait AdminModel: Any + Send + 'static {
-    /// Returns the object as an `Any` trait object.
-    // TODO: consider removing this when Rust trait_upcasting is stabilized and we
-    // bump the MSRV (lands in Rust 1.86)
-    fn as_any(&self) -> &dyn Any;
-
     /// Get the objects of this model.
     async fn get_objects(request: &Request, pagination: Pagination) -> cot::Result<Vec<Self>>
     where
diff --git a/cot/src/openapi.rs b/cot/src/openapi.rs
index f6cde8c0..b7cc99d5 100644
--- a/cot/src/openapi.rs
+++ b/cot/src/openapi.rs
@@ -447,11 +447,7 @@ where
     Inner(handler, PhantomData, PhantomData)
 }
 
-pub(crate) trait BoxApiEndpointRequestHandler: BoxRequestHandler + AsApiRoute {
-    // TODO: consider removing this when Rust trait_upcasting is stabilized and we
-    // bump the MSRV (lands in Rust 1.86)
-    fn as_box_request_handler(&self) -> &(dyn BoxRequestHandler + Send + Sync);
-}
+pub(crate) trait BoxApiEndpointRequestHandler: BoxRequestHandler + AsApiRoute {}
 
 pub(crate) fn into_box_api_endpoint_request_handler<HandlerParams, H>(
     handler: H,
@@ -486,13 +482,9 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    impl<HandlerParams, H> BoxApiEndpointRequestHandler for Inner<HandlerParams, H>
-    where
-        H: RequestHandler<HandlerParams> + AsApiRoute + Send + Sync,
+    impl<HandlerParams, H> BoxApiEndpointRequestHandler for Inner<HandlerParams, H> where
+        H: RequestHandler<HandlerParams> + AsApiRoute + Send + Sync
     {
-        fn as_box_request_handler(&self) -> &(dyn BoxRequestHandler + Send + Sync) {
-            self
-        }
     }
 
     Inner(handler, PhantomData)
diff --git a/cot/src/router.rs b/cot/src/router.rs
index c6fd91be..163cb969 100644
--- a/cot/src/router.rs
+++ b/cot/src/router.rs
@@ -172,10 +172,9 @@ impl Router {
                     #[cfg(feature = "openapi")]
                     RouteInner::ApiHandler(handler) => {
                         if matches_fully {
+                            let handler: &(dyn BoxRequestHandler + Send + Sync) = &**handler;
                             return Some(HandlerFound {
-                                // TODO: consider removing this when Rust trait_upcasting is
-                                // stabilized and we bump the MSRV (lands in Rust 1.86)
-                                handler: handler.as_box_request_handler(),
+                                handler,
                                 app_name: self.app_name.clone(),
                                 name: route.name.clone(),
                                 params: Self::matches_to_path_params(&matches, Vec::new()),