diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-tag.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-tag.yaml
index 42e95268c..aabcbca23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-tag.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-tag.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ on:
       - grpc-v*
       - flask-v*
       - fastapi-v*
+      - langgraph-v*
+      - strands-v*
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/fossa.yaml b/.github/workflows/fossa.yaml
index 18b45526c..fda00b65c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/fossa.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/fossa.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ on:
       - grpc-v*
       - flask-v*
       - fastapi-v*
+      - langgraph-v*
+      - strands-v*
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate_examples.yaml b/.github/workflows/validate_examples.yaml
index c89147dc3..cece4ea5a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate_examples.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate_examples.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ on:
       - grpc-v*
       - fastapi-v*
       - flask-v*
+      - langgraph-v*
+      - strands-v*
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - main
diff --git a/dapr/version/version.py b/dapr/version/version.py
index c8ee50c56..cd6ba3565 100644
--- a/dapr/version/version.py
+++ b/dapr/version/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/dev-requirements.txt b/dev-requirements.txt
index 828ef8aa4..59bd44c84 100644
--- a/dev-requirements.txt
+++ b/dev-requirements.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Flask>=1.1
 # needed for auto fix
 ruff===0.14.1
 # needed for dapr-ext-workflow
-durabletask-dapr >= 0.2.0a9
+durabletask-dapr >= 0.2.0a15
 # needed for .env file loading in examples
 python-dotenv>=1.0.0
 # needed for enhanced schema generation from function features
diff --git a/examples/demo_actor/demo_actor/requirements.txt b/examples/demo_actor/demo_actor/requirements.txt
index c4ec19d73..3ec219df2 100644
--- a/examples/demo_actor/demo_actor/requirements.txt
+++ b/examples/demo_actor/demo_actor/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-dapr-ext-fastapi>=1.16.0.dev
+dapr-ext-fastapi>=1.17.0.dev
diff --git a/examples/demo_workflow/demo_workflow/requirements.txt b/examples/demo_workflow/demo_workflow/requirements.txt
index 1e5f89620..cfb28adca 100644
--- a/examples/demo_workflow/demo_workflow/requirements.txt
+++ b/examples/demo_workflow/demo_workflow/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-dapr-ext-workflow>=1.16.0.dev
+dapr-ext-workflow>=1.17.0.dev
diff --git a/examples/invoke-simple/requirements.txt b/examples/invoke-simple/requirements.txt
index 056db33d1..299df8fd7 100644
--- a/examples/invoke-simple/requirements.txt
+++ b/examples/invoke-simple/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-dapr-ext-grpc >= 1.16.0.dev
-dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
+dapr-ext-grpc >= 1.17.0.dev
+dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
diff --git a/examples/w3c-tracing/requirements.txt b/examples/w3c-tracing/requirements.txt
index 8b1f04b01..32683b57c 100644
--- a/examples/w3c-tracing/requirements.txt
+++ b/examples/w3c-tracing/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-dapr-ext-grpc >= 1.16.0.dev
-dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
+dapr-ext-grpc >= 1.17.0.dev
+dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
 opentelemetry-sdk
 opentelemetry-instrumentation-grpc
 opentelemetry-exporter-zipkin
diff --git a/examples/workflow/requirements.txt b/examples/workflow/requirements.txt
index c5af70b9d..faabd0063 100644
--- a/examples/workflow/requirements.txt
+++ b/examples/workflow/requirements.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-dapr-ext-workflow>=1.16.0.dev
-dapr>=1.16.0.dev
+dapr-ext-workflow>=1.17.0.dev
+dapr>=1.17.0.dev
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/dapr/ext/fastapi/version.py b/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/dapr/ext/fastapi/version.py
index c8ee50c56..cd6ba3565 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/dapr/ext/fastapi/version.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/dapr/ext/fastapi/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/setup.cfg b/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/setup.cfg
index 8b37613fb..c182b2bc8 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-fastapi/setup.cfg
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ python_requires = >=3.9
 packages = find_namespace:
 include_package_data = True
 install_requires =
-    dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
     uvicorn >= 0.11.6
     fastapi >= 0.60.1
 
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/dapr/ext/grpc/version.py b/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/dapr/ext/grpc/version.py
index c8ee50c56..cd6ba3565 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/dapr/ext/grpc/version.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/dapr/ext/grpc/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/setup.cfg b/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/setup.cfg
index 7d4d2e898..4225c1abb 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-grpc/setup.cfg
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ python_requires = >=3.9
 packages = find_namespace:
 include_package_data = True
 install_requires =
-    dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
     cloudevents >= 1.0.0
 
 [options.packages.find]
@@ -36,4 +36,4 @@ exclude =
 
 [options.package_data]
 dapr.ext.grpc =
-    py.typed
\ No newline at end of file
+    py.typed
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/dapr/ext/langgraph/version.py b/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/dapr/ext/langgraph/version.py
index dae1485d2..b81f0d988 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/dapr/ext/langgraph/version.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/dapr/ext/langgraph/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/setup.cfg b/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/setup.cfg
index f08a79548..5a252a797 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-langgraph/setup.cfg
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ python_requires = >=3.10
 packages = find_namespace:
 include_package_data = True
 install_requires =
-    dapr >= 1.16.1rc1
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
     langgraph >= 0.3.6
     langchain >= 0.1.17
     python-ulid >= 3.0.0
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-strands/dapr/ext/strands/version.py b/ext/dapr-ext-strands/dapr/ext/strands/version.py
index dae1485d2..b81f0d988 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-strands/dapr/ext/strands/version.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-strands/dapr/ext/strands/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-strands/setup.cfg b/ext/dapr-ext-strands/setup.cfg
index 3149e8d2d..5ccd58357 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-strands/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-strands/setup.cfg
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ python_requires = >=3.10
 packages = find_namespace:
 include_package_data = True
 install_requires =
-    dapr >= 1.16.1rc1
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
     strands-agents
     strands-agents-tools
     python-ulid >= 3.0.0
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ exclude =
 
 [options.package_data]
 dapr.ext.strands =
-    py.typed
\ No newline at end of file
+    py.typed
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/dapr_workflow_client.py b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/dapr_workflow_client.py
index 461bfd43a..36a731c47 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/dapr_workflow_client.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/dapr_workflow_client.py
@@ -277,3 +277,7 @@ def purge_workflow(self, instance_id: str, recursive: bool = True):
             recursive: The optional flag to also purge data from all child workflows.
         """
         return self.__obj.purge_orchestration(instance_id, recursive)
+
+    def close(self):
+        """Closes the gRPC connection used by the client."""
+        return self.__obj.close()
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/version.py b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/version.py
index c8ee50c56..cd6ba3565 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/version.py
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/dapr/ext/workflow/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/setup.cfg b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/setup.cfg
index a621308fc..2f938bfb4 100644
--- a/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/dapr-ext-workflow/setup.cfg
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ python_requires = >=3.9
 packages = find_namespace:
 include_package_data = True
 install_requires =
-    dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
-    durabletask-dapr >= 0.2.0a12
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
+    durabletask-dapr >= 0.2.0a15
 
 [options.packages.find]
 include =
diff --git a/ext/flask_dapr/flask_dapr/version.py b/ext/flask_dapr/flask_dapr/version.py
index c8ee50c56..cd6ba3565 100644
--- a/ext/flask_dapr/flask_dapr/version.py
+++ b/ext/flask_dapr/flask_dapr/version.py
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 
-__version__ = '1.16.0.dev'
+__version__ = '1.17.0.dev'
diff --git a/ext/flask_dapr/setup.cfg b/ext/flask_dapr/setup.cfg
index 826136c54..c19bf5b5c 100644
--- a/ext/flask_dapr/setup.cfg
+++ b/ext/flask_dapr/setup.cfg
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ include_package_data = true
 zip_safe = false
 install_requires =
     Flask >= 1.1
-    dapr >= 1.16.0.dev
+    dapr >= 1.17.0.dev
 
 [options.package_data]
 flask_dapr =