diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index c2c5f30f..5d29183e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ Unreleased
 * Add azure backup cronjob and metrics-exporter for clusters that are deployed
   in an azure region.
 
+* Bump ``sql_exporter`` to ``0.16.0``
+
 2.42.0 (2024-10-02)
 -------------------
 
diff --git a/crate/operator/config.py b/crate/operator/config.py
index e00dbd99..4d2be682 100644
--- a/crate/operator/config.py
+++ b/crate/operator/config.py
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ class Config:
     PROMETHEUS_PORT: int = 8080
 
     #: The sql_exporter image to use
-    SQL_EXPORTER_IMAGE: str = "burningalchemist/sql_exporter:0.14.2"
+    SQL_EXPORTER_IMAGE: str = "burningalchemist/sql_exporter:0.16.0"
 
     #: Name of the secret containing credentials to access the source
     #: backup when restoring a snapshot.