diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 17e8484c9..ba0fe794a 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,23 @@ updates:
     - "type/dependencies"
     - "scope/backend"
 
+- package-ecosystem: docker
+  directory: "/api"
+  schedule:
+    interval: weekly
+    time: "10:00"
+    timezone: Europe/London
+  reviewers:
+    - "kafbat/backend"
+  open-pull-requests-limit: 10
+  ignore:
+  - dependency-name: "azul/zulu-openjdk-alpine"
+    # Limit dependabot pull requests to minor Java upgrades
+    update-types: ["version-update:semver-major"]
+  labels:
+    - "type/dependencies"
+    - "scope/backend"
+
 - package-ecosystem: npm
   directory: "/frontend"
   schedule:
diff --git a/api/Dockerfile b/api/Dockerfile
index 9e1173250..82ac8c023 100644
--- a/api/Dockerfile
+++ b/api/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-FROM azul/zulu-openjdk-alpine:17.0.11-jre-headless
+# The tag is ignored when a sha is included but the reason to add it are:  
+# 1. Self Documentation: It is difficult to find out what the expected tag is given a sha alone
+# 2. Helps dependabot during discovery of upgrades
+FROM azul/zulu-openjdk-alpine:17-jre-headless-latest@sha256:af4df00adaec356d092651af50d9e80fd179f96722d267e79acb564aede10fda
 
 RUN apk add --no-cache \
     # snappy codec
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/io/kafbat/ui/controller/MessagesController.java b/api/src/main/java/io/kafbat/ui/controller/MessagesController.java
index 62189b04a..b88e2d566 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/io/kafbat/ui/controller/MessagesController.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/io/kafbat/ui/controller/MessagesController.java
@@ -118,10 +118,11 @@ public Mono<ResponseEntity<Flux<TopicMessageEventDTO>>> getTopicMessagesV2(Strin
     if (cursor != null) {
       messagesFlux = messagesService.loadMessages(getCluster(clusterName), topicName, cursor);
     } else {
+      var pollingMode = mode == null ? PollingModeDTO.LATEST : mode;
       messagesFlux = messagesService.loadMessages(
           getCluster(clusterName),
           topicName,
-          ConsumerPosition.create(checkNotNull(mode), checkNotNull(topicName), partitions, timestamp, offset),
+          ConsumerPosition.create(pollingMode, checkNotNull(topicName), partitions, timestamp, offset),
           stringFilter,
           smartFilterId,
           limit,