diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index 0bd27a3..4fbe745 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ bazel_dep(name = "bazel_lib", version = "3.0.0-rc.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "bazel_skylib", version = "1.5.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "rules_java", version = "8.8.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "rules_shell", version = "0.4.1")
-bazel_dep(name = "gawk", version = "5.3.2.bcr.3")
+bazel_dep(name = "ape", version = "1.1.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "tar.bzl", version = "0.6.0")
 bazel_dep(name = "yq.bzl", version = "0.3.1")
 
diff --git a/apt/private/deb_postfix.bzl b/apt/private/deb_postfix.bzl
index 5d294c2..172bfff 100644
--- a/apt/private/deb_postfix.bzl
+++ b/apt/private/deb_postfix.bzl
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def deb_postfix(name, srcs, outs, mergedusr = False, **kwargs):
     # https://salsa.debian.org/md/usrmerge/-/tree/master/debian?ref_type=heads
     if mergedusr:
         toolchains = ["@bsd_tar_toolchains//:resolved_toolchain"]
-        tools.append("@gawk//:gawk")
+        tools.append("@ape//ape:awk")
         apply = """\
             $(BSDTAR_BIN) --confirmation --gzip --options 'gzip:!timestamp' -cf "$$layer" \
             -s "#^\\./bin/\\(.\\)#./usr/bin/\\1#" \
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def deb_postfix(name, srcs, outs, mergedusr = False, **kwargs):
             -s "#^\\./lib64/\\(.\\)#./usr/lib64/\\1#" \
             -s "#^\\./libx32/\\(.\\)#./usr/libx32/\\1#" \
             "@$$data_file" 2< <(
-                $(BSDTAR_BIN) -tvf "$$data_file" | $(location @gawk//:gawk) '{
+                $(BSDTAR_BIN) -tvf "$$data_file" | $(location @ape//ape:awk) '{
                     ORS=""
                     keep="y"
                     if (substr($$1, 1, 1) == "d" && (\\
diff --git a/apt/private/dpkg_status.bzl b/apt/private/dpkg_status.bzl
index 340bd9a..148b15a 100644
--- a/apt/private/dpkg_status.bzl
+++ b/apt/private/dpkg_status.bzl
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ dpkg_status = rule(
             allow_single_file = True,
             executable = True,
             cfg = "exec",
-            default = "@gawk//:gawk",
+            default = "@ape//ape:awk",
         ),
     },
     implementation = _dpkg_status_impl,
diff --git a/apt/private/dpkg_statusd.bzl b/apt/private/dpkg_statusd.bzl
index cf6d40f..be62bf0 100644
--- a/apt/private/dpkg_statusd.bzl
+++ b/apt/private/dpkg_statusd.bzl
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ dpkg_statusd = rule(
             allow_single_file = True,
             executable = True,
             cfg = "exec",
-            default = "@gawk//:gawk",
+            default = "@ape//ape:awk",
         ),
     },
     implementation = _dpkg_statusd_impl,
diff --git a/distroless/private/flatten.bzl b/distroless/private/flatten.bzl
index cfc2287..4ff2ac1 100644
--- a/distroless/private/flatten.bzl
+++ b/distroless/private/flatten.bzl
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ Deduplication is performed only for directories.
             allow_single_file = True,
             executable = True,
             cfg = "exec",
-            default = "@gawk//:gawk",
+            default = "@ape//ape:awk",
         ),
     },
     implementation = _flatten_impl,
diff --git a/distroless/private/locale.bzl b/distroless/private/locale.bzl
index 0ca0942..82444a3 100644
--- a/distroless/private/locale.bzl
+++ b/distroless/private/locale.bzl
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ locale = rule(
             allow_single_file = True,
             executable = True,
             cfg = "exec",
-            default = "@gawk//:gawk",
+            default = "@ape//ape:awk",
         ),
     },
     implementation = _locale_impl,