diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-with-clang.yml b/.github/workflows/build-with-clang.yml
index 7332f74..b9ffef5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-with-clang.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-with-clang.yml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install mkl-service dependencies
         run: |
-          pip install meson-python cython cmake ninja
+          pip install meson-python "cython>=3.1.0" cmake ninja
 
       - name: List oneAPI folder content
         run: ls ${{ env.ONEAPI_ROOT }}/compiler
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-with-standard-clang.yml b/.github/workflows/build-with-standard-clang.yml
index 4089dcf..d4b3ed6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-with-standard-clang.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-with-standard-clang.yml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install mkl-service dependencies
         run: |
-          pip install meson-python cython cmake ninja mkl-devel
+          pip install meson-python "cython>=3.1.0" cmake ninja mkl-devel
 
       - name: Build mkl-service
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_pip.yml b/.github/workflows/build_pip.yml
index 26839a6..efd87a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_pip.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_pip.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Build with pip
         run: |
-          pip install --no-cache-dir meson-python ninja cmake cython
+          pip install --no-cache-dir meson-python ninja cmake "cython>=3.1.0"
           pip install -e ".[test]" --no-build-isolation --verbose
           pip list
           python -m pytest -v mkl/tests
diff --git a/conda-recipe-cf/meta.yaml b/conda-recipe-cf/meta.yaml
index 99e7337..4053eb5 100644
--- a/conda-recipe-cf/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda-recipe-cf/meta.yaml
@@ -21,15 +21,13 @@ requirements:
       - cmake
       - ninja
       - python
-      - python-gil     # [py>=314]
       - pip >=25.0
       - mkl-devel  # [not osx]
       - mkl-devel <2024 # [osx]
-      - cython
+      - cython >=3.1.0
       - wheel >=0.45.1
     run:
       - python
-      - python-gil     # [py>=314]
       - {{ pin_compatible('mkl') }}
 
 test:
diff --git a/conda-recipe/meta.yaml b/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
index 410fe71..d1755da 100644
--- a/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda-recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -22,15 +22,14 @@ requirements:
       - cmake
       - ninja
       - python
+      - python-build
       - python-gil     # [py>=314]
-      - python-build >=1.2.2
       - pip >=25.0
       - mkl-devel
-      - cython
+      - cython >=3.1.0
       - wheel >=0.45.1
     run:
       - python
-      - python-gil     # [py>=314]
       - {{ pin_compatible('mkl') }}
 
 test:
diff --git a/mkl/_mklinitmodule.c b/mkl/_mklinitmodule.c
index 33abdf5..11571dd 100644
--- a/mkl/_mklinitmodule.c
+++ b/mkl/_mklinitmodule.c
@@ -200,6 +200,12 @@ PyMODINIT_FUNC PyInit__mklinit(void)
         return NULL;
     }
 
+#ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
+    /* Declare that this module supports running without the GIL so the
+     * free-threaded interpreter does not re-enable it on import. */
+    PyUnstable_Module_SetGIL(m, Py_MOD_GIL_NOT_USED);
+#endif
+
     return m;
 }
 #else
diff --git a/mkl/_py_mkl_service.pyx b/mkl/_py_mkl_service.pyx
index 975a454..72908fe 100644
--- a/mkl/_py_mkl_service.pyx
+++ b/mkl/_py_mkl_service.pyx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 # distutils: language = c
 # cython: language_level=3
+# cython: freethreading_compatible=True
 
 import numbers
 import warnings
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9ed27ab..884c499 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ build-backend = "mesonpy"
 requires = [
   "meson-python>=0.13.0",
   "ninja",
-  "Cython",
+  "Cython>=3.1.0",
   "mkl-devel",
   "cmake"
 ]