diff --git a/.golangci.yml b/.golangci.yml
index 6b7695c0..51db2477 100644
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ linters:
     - asciicheck
     - bidichk
     - bodyclose
+    - copyloopvar
     - contextcheck
     - cyclop
     - dogsled
@@ -26,7 +27,6 @@ linters:
     - errname
     - errorlint
     - exhaustive
-    - exportloopref
     - forcetypeassert
     - gci
     - gocognit
@@ -112,9 +112,6 @@ linters-settings:
       - name: unconditional-recursion
       - name: waitgroup-by-value
 
-  unused:
-    go: "1.21"
-
 issues:
   # Excluding configuration per-path, per-linter, per-text and per-source
   exclude-rules:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6c89a8c7..f30b45df 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ help:
 
 # -- Tooling
 
-GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION 	?= v1.55.2
+GOLANGCI_LINT_VERSION 	?= v1.61.0
 GOLANGCI_LINT 			:= $(TOOLS_DIR)/golangci-lint
 $(GOLANGCI_LINT):
 	curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/golangci/golangci-lint/master/install.sh | \
diff --git a/internal/backend/flatfile/backend_test.go b/internal/backend/flatfile/backend_test.go
index 594b9c85..ab7fc110 100644
--- a/internal/backend/flatfile/backend_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/flatfile/backend_test.go
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ func TestGetEC2Instance(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 
 				if !cmp.Equal(&ec2Instance, tc.ExpectedInstance) {
-					t.Errorf(cmp.Diff(ec2Instance, tc.ExpectedInstance))
+					t.Error(cmp.Diff(ec2Instance, tc.ExpectedInstance))
 				}
 			}
 		})
diff --git a/internal/backend/kubernetes/backend.go b/internal/backend/kubernetes/backend.go
index 6d6e5654..3abd513a 100644
--- a/internal/backend/kubernetes/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/kubernetes/backend.go
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ type listerClient interface {
 func toEC2Instance(hw tinkv1.Hardware) ec2.Instance {
 	var i ec2.Instance
 
-	if hw.Spec.Metadata.Instance != nil {
+	if hw.Spec.Metadata != nil && hw.Spec.Metadata.Instance != nil {
 		i.Metadata.InstanceID = hw.Spec.Metadata.Instance.ID
 		i.Metadata.Hostname = hw.Spec.Metadata.Instance.Hostname
 		i.Metadata.LocalHostname = hw.Spec.Metadata.Instance.Hostname
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func toEC2Instance(hw tinkv1.Hardware) ec2.Instance {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if hw.Spec.Metadata.Facility != nil {
+	if hw.Spec.Metadata != nil && hw.Spec.Metadata.Facility != nil {
 		i.Metadata.Plan = hw.Spec.Metadata.Facility.PlanSlug
 		i.Metadata.Facility = hw.Spec.Metadata.Facility.FacilityCode
 	}