diff --git a/argv.go b/argv.go
index 571c26f..3a80510 100644
--- a/argv.go
+++ b/argv.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func (a args) Description() string {
 go-mod-clean will try to verify your go.* files are using the newest package versions
 
 * Recreate go.* with 'go mod init' and 'go mod tidy'
-* Set your required go in go.mod (default is go1.20
+* Set your required go in go.mod (default is go1.21
 * Check that the most recent master branch versions are used
 * Try to trim go.sum of non-existent entries
 `
diff --git a/redoGoMod.go b/redoGoMod.go
index 3af8663..d74addd 100644
--- a/redoGoMod.go
+++ b/redoGoMod.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func eraseGoMod(repo *gitpb.Repo) {
 
 // sets the required golang version in go.mod
 func setGoVersion(repo *gitpb.Repo, version string) error {
-	// most things should build with golang after 1.20
+	// most things should build with golang after 1.21
 	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"go", "mod", "edit", "-go=" + version}); err != nil {
 		log.Warn(repo.GoPath, "go mod edit failed", err)
 		return err
@@ -41,13 +41,13 @@ func redoGoMod(repo *gitpb.Repo) error {
 		log.Warn("go mod init failed", err)
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy"}); err != nil {
+	if err := repo.StrictRun([]string{"go", "mod", "tidy", "-go=1.21"}); err != nil {
 		log.Warn("go mod tidy failed", err)
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// most things should build with golang after 1.20 // todo: allow this to be set somewhere
-	if err := setGoVersion(repo, "1.20"); err != nil {
+	// most things should build with golang after 1.21 // todo: allow this to be set somewhere
+	if err := setGoVersion(repo, "1.21"); err != nil {
 		log.Warn(repo.GoPath, "go mod edit failed", err)
 		return err
 	}