diff --git a/docker/gitea/Dockerfile b/docker/gitea/Dockerfile
index 6e2d7d478d..5c735202c0 100644
--- a/docker/gitea/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/gitea/Dockerfile
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ FROM docker.io/library/golang:1.18-bullseye AS build-env
 
 LABEL maintainer="infra-root@openstack.org"
 
-ARG GITEA_VERSION="v1.16.5"
+ARG GITEA_VERSION="v1.16.6"
 ENV TAGS "bindata $TAGS"
 
 #Build deps
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/gitea/templates/app.ini.j2 b/playbooks/roles/gitea/templates/app.ini.j2
index f476ffc6b6..2358f48339 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/gitea/templates/app.ini.j2
+++ b/playbooks/roles/gitea/templates/app.ini.j2
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ DISABLED_REPO_UNITS = repo.issues,repo.pulls,repo.wiki,repo.projects
 DISABLE_STARS = true
 
 [git]
-; Implemented in 1.16 but breaks pip install when using older Git clients
-DISABLE_PARTIAL_CLONE = true
+; Implemented in 1.16 but broke older git clients. Now expected to work
+; but we keep explicit config in place should it need to be toggled back
+; to true again.
+DISABLE_PARTIAL_CLONE = false
 
 [indexer]
 ISSUE_INDEXER_PATH = /data/gitea/indexers/issues.bleve