diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index a76eb462c..285d45500 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
       - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
         with:
-          toolchain: 1.37.0
+          toolchain: 1.39.0
           override: true
 
       # cargo fmt does not build the code, and running it in a fresh clone of
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
       - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
         with:
-          toolchain: 1.37.0
+          toolchain: 1.39.0
           override: true
       - name: cargo fetch
         uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
       - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
         with:
-          toolchain: 1.37.0
+          toolchain: 1.39.0
           override: true
       - name: Install cargo-tarpaulin
         uses: actions-rs/cargo@v1
diff --git a/rust-toolchain b/rust-toolchain
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5edffce6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust-toolchain
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.39.0