diff --git a/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json b/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
index f9117a26a..614c0adb9 100644
--- a/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
+++ b/environments/.stackhpc/tofu/cluster_image.auto.tfvars.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "cluster_image": {
-        "RL8": "openhpc-RL8-250506-1259-abb6394b",
-        "RL9": "openhpc-RL9-250506-1259-abb6394b"
+        "RL8": "openhpc-RL8-250513-1045-ca44f898",
+        "RL9": "openhpc-RL9-250513-1046-ca44f898"
     }
 }
diff --git a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/openhpc.yml b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/openhpc.yml
index bcda89b56..89f0a859c 100644
--- a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/openhpc.yml
+++ b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/openhpc.yml
@@ -57,3 +57,8 @@ ohpc_openhpc_repos:
 ohpc_default_extra_repos:
   "9": []
   "8": []
+
+# systemd.service.unit.TimeoutStartSec to wait for slurmdbd startup
+# Set long enought to avoid problems with a major version upgrade
+# Currently implemented in environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/systemd.yml
+openhpc_slurmdbd_timeout_start_sec: '45 minutes'
diff --git a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/systemd.yml b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/systemd.yml
index 2c5e03e35..4c7538aa6 100644
--- a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/systemd.yml
+++ b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/systemd.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 _systemd_requiresmount_statedir: |
+  {% if appliances_state_dir is defined %}
   [Unit]
   RequiresMountsFor={{ appliances_state_dir | default('') }}
+  {% endif %}
 
-_systemd_dropins_statedir:
-  # mysql not included as role handles state dir correctly
+systemd_dropins:
+  # NB: mysql does not need _systemd_requiresmount_statedir as role handles state dir correctly
   opensearch:
     group: opensearch
     content: "{{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}"
@@ -12,12 +14,16 @@ _systemd_dropins_statedir:
     content: "{{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}"
   slurmdbd:
     group: openhpc
-    content: "{{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}"
+    content: |
+      {{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}
+      
+      [Service]
+      # Allow slurmdbd to complete major version upgrades
+      TimeoutStartSec={{ openhpc_slurmdbd_timeout_start_sec }}
+
   slurmctld:
     group: openhpc
     content: "{{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}"
   prometheus:
     group: prometheus
     content: "{{ _systemd_requiresmount_statedir }}"
-
-systemd_dropins: "{{ _systemd_dropins_statedir if appliances_state_dir is defined else {} }}"
diff --git a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/timestamps.yml b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/timestamps.yml
index 2f31ee1a3..8d046437a 100644
--- a/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/timestamps.yml
+++ b/environments/common/inventory/group_vars/all/timestamps.yml
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ appliances_pulp_repos:
   openhpc_updates:
     '8':
       path: OpenHPC/2/updates/EL_8
-      timestamp: 20241218T154614
+      timestamp: 20250512T003315
     '9':
       path: OpenHPC/3/updates/EL_9
-      timestamp: 20241218T154614
+      timestamp: 20250510T003301
   grafana:
     '8':
       path: grafana/oss/rpm