diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 01effd2..fe076dd 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 version: 2
 updates:
-  # Python dependencies. The library declares ranged requirements on purpose;
-  # routine minor/patch updates are grouped, while major compatibility changes
-  # stay separate and explicit.
+  # Python requirements are published library compatibility ranges. Routine
+  # releases are exercised by the stable/floor/next CI lanes rather than by
+  # rewriting those ranges. Dependabot is reserved for vulnerability fixes.
   - package-ecosystem: "pip"
     directory: "/"
     schedule:
@@ -10,28 +10,15 @@ updates:
       day: monday
       time: "06:00"
       timezone: Etc/UTC
-    open-pull-requests-limit: 5
-    cooldown:
-      default-days: 7
+    open-pull-requests-limit: 0
     groups:
-      python-nonmajor:
-        applies-to: version-updates
-        patterns:
-          - "*"
-        update-types:
-          - minor
-          - patch
-      python-security-nonmajor:
+      python-security:
         applies-to: security-updates
         patterns:
           - "*"
-        update-types:
-          - minor
-          - patch
     # MCP v2 is a deliberate integration migration tracked in #263. Ignore
-    # the incompatible versions themselves: Dependabot can otherwise widen a
-    # requirement range (<2 -> <3) without treating that edit as a SemVer-major
-    # version update.
+    # the incompatible versions themselves so the existing <2 contract cannot
+    # be widened automatically before that migration is implemented.
     ignore:
       - dependency-name: mcp
         versions:
@@ -39,7 +26,7 @@ updates:
     labels:
       - dependencies
     commit-message:
-      prefix: "chore(deps)"
+      prefix: "fix(deps)"
 
   # GitHub Actions are SHA-pinned in workflows. Dependabot advances the pin and
   # version comment; unrelated breaking majors are intentionally not grouped.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 3e2e8b4..36ad5e6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       contents: read
     strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13", "3.14"]
 
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0  # v7.0.0
@@ -75,6 +76,32 @@ jobs:
           path: htmlcov/
           if-no-files-found: ignore
 
+  # Prove that each declared >= floor is real rather than aspirational. Resolve
+  # direct requirements to their lower bounds while allowing transitive
+  # dependencies to remain solvable, then run the full behavioral suite.
+  floor-deps:
+    name: "Floor dependencies (Python 3.10)"
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0  # v7.0.0
+
+      - name: Set up Python 3.10
+        uses: actions/setup-python@ece7cb06caefa5fff74198d8649806c4678c61a1  # v6.3.0
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.10"
+
+      - name: Install uv
+        run: python -m pip install uv
+
+      - name: Install declared direct floors
+        run: uv pip install --system --resolution lowest-direct -e ".[dev]"
+
+      - name: Run suite at the floors
+        run: pytest -q
+
   bare-install:
     name: "Bare install (no extras)"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-next.yml b/.github/workflows/python-next.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6f3ca4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-next.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+name: Python Next Canary
+
+on:
+  schedule:
+    - cron: "15 7 * * 3"
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - "pyproject.toml"
+      - ".github/workflows/python-next.yml"
+
+permissions:
+  contents: read
+
+jobs:
+  python-next:
+    name: Python 3.15 pre-release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    continue-on-error: true
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@9c091bb21b7c1c1d1991bb908d89e4e9dddfe3e0 # v7.0.0
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@ece7cb06caefa5fff74198d8649806c4678c61a1 # v6.3.0
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.15"
+          allow-prereleases: true
+      - name: Install
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install -e ".[dev]"
+      - name: Test
+        run: pytest -q
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index ea61e03..8c8333a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14",
     "Topic :: Security",
     "Topic :: Software Development :: Libraries :: Python Modules",
 ]
@@ -53,20 +55,23 @@ Changelog = "https://github.com/dgenio/agent-kernel/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md"
 dev = [
     "pytest>=8.0",
     "pytest-cov>=5.0",
-    "pytest-asyncio>=0.23",
+    # 0.23.5 is the first 0.23.x release declaring pytest 8 compatibility.
+    # The lowest-direct CI lane proves this floor alongside pytest>=8.
+    "pytest-asyncio>=0.23.5",
     "hypothesis>=6.100",
     "ruff>=0.4",
     "mypy>=1.10",
     "httpx>=0.27",
-    # MCP 2.x removes/changes APIs used by the current driver. Keep v1 as the
-    # supported compatibility line until the deliberate migration in #263.
-    "mcp>=1.6,<2",
+    # Floor 1.17: mcp.shared.memory first accepts FastMCP directly and unwraps
+    # it to the low-level server. The real in-process discover/execute test
+    # fails on 1.16 and earlier. Ceiling <2 remains migration issue #263.
+    "mcp>=1.17,<2",
     "pyyaml>=6.0",
     "tomli>=2.0; python_version<'3.11'",
     "types-PyYAML>=6.0",
     "weaver-contracts>=0.7,<0.8",
 ]
-mcp = ["mcp>=1.6,<2"]
+mcp = ["mcp>=1.17,<2"]
 otel = ["opentelemetry-api>=1.20"]
 policy = [
     "pyyaml>=6.0",