diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index aeda8d6..88d12dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -9,20 +9,20 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.10", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.11", "3.13"]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v3
-    - uses: goanpeca/setup-miniconda@v2.2.0
+    - uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3.0.4
       with:
         miniforge-version: latest
-        conda-version: ">=23.7.4"
-        conda-build-version: ">=3.26"
+        conda-version: ">=24.11"
+        conda-build-version: ">=25.1"
         environment-file: environment.yml
         activate-environment: mkxref-dev
         python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
         condarc-file: github-condarc.yml
         auto-activate-base: true
-        use-mamba: true
+        use-mamba: false
     - name: Dev install package
       run: |
         conda run -n mkxref-dev pip install -e . --no-deps --no-build-isolation
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3591c88..87d6c69 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # mkdocstring-python-xref changes
 
+## 1.14.0
+
+* Work with mkdocstrings-python 1.14 or later
+* Drop python 3.8 support
+* Fix extra files in wheel's RECORD
+
 ## 1.6.2
 
 * Use griffe 1.0 or later
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index be20f2c..d6128bc 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ help:
 	@$(ECHO) "build           - Build wheel"
 	@$(ECHO) "build-wheel     - Build wheel."
 	@$(ECHO) "build-conda     - Build conda package (requires whl2conda)"
+	@$(ECHO) "unpacked-wheel  - Build wheel and unpack it (for debugging)"
 	@$(ECHO)
 	@$(ECHO) "$(SECTION_COLOR)--- upload ---$(COLORLESS)"
 	@$(ECHO) "upload          - Upload wheel to pypi (requires authorization)"
@@ -164,6 +165,9 @@ build-conda: $(CONDA_FILE)
 
 build: build-wheel build-sdist build-conda
 
+unpacked-wheel: $(WHEEL_FILE)
+	$(CONDA_RUN) wheel unpack $(WHEEL_FILE) -d dist
+
 site/index.html: $(MKDOC_FILES) $(SRC_FILES)
 	$(CONDA_RUN) mkdocs build -f $(MKDOC_CONFIG)
 
diff --git a/docs/install.md b/docs/install.md
index fafd479..8273d8f 100644
--- a/docs/install.md
+++ b/docs/install.md
@@ -8,3 +8,12 @@ pip install mkdocstrings-python-xref
 ```
 conda install -c conda-forge mkdocstrings-python-xref
 ```
+
+## A note on dependencies
+
+This project is implemented by directly extending the [mkdocstrings-python]
+project, so you may want to specify a specific upper bound on the version
+of that project in your project's dependency file to guard against any
+surprises in case of a breaking change in the future.
+
+[mkdocstrings-python]: https://mkdocstrings.github.io/python/
diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 437c633..71142d8 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ channels:
 
 dependencies:
   # runtime
-  - python >=3.8,<3.13
-  - mkdocstrings-python >=1.6.2,<2.0
+  - python >=3.9,<3.14
+  - mkdocstrings-python >=1.14,<2.0
   - griffe >=1.0
   # build
   - python-build >=1.0.0
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a1d7f52..2b83978 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -13,19 +13,19 @@ classifiers = [
     "Development Status :: 3 - Alpha",
     "Intended Audience :: Developers",
     "Topic :: Software Development :: Documentation",
-    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
+    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13",
 ]
 keywords = [
     "documentation-tool", "mkdocstrings", "mkdocstrings-handler", "python"
 ]
 dynamic = ["version"]
-requires-python = ">=3.8"
+requires-python = ">=3.9"
 dependencies = [
-    "mkdocstrings-python >=1.6.2,<2.0",
+    "mkdocstrings-python >=1.14,<2.0",
     "griffe >=1.0"
 ]
 
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ include = [
 [tool.hatch.build.targets.sdist]
 packages = [
     "src/mkdocstrings_handlers",
-    "src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref",
+#    "src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref",
 ]
 
 [tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
 packages = [
     "src/mkdocstrings_handlers",
-    "src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref",
+#    "src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref",
 ]
 
 [tool.mypy]
diff --git a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/VERSION b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/VERSION
index fdd3be6..850e742 100644
--- a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/VERSION
+++ b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.6.2
+1.14.0
diff --git a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/__init__.py b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/__init__.py
index 56a5170..0a0d569 100644
--- a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/__init__.py
+++ b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2022-2023.   Analog Devices Inc.
+#  Copyright (c) 2022-2025.   Analog Devices Inc.
 #
 #  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 #  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@
 Extended mkdocstrings python handler
 """
 
-from .handler import PythonRelXRefHandler
+from .handler import get_handler
 
 __all__ = ["get_handler"]
 
-get_handler = PythonRelXRefHandler
diff --git a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/crossref.py b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/crossref.py
index 1035d4e..9e3f656 100644
--- a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/crossref.py
+++ b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/crossref.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2022-2024.   Analog Devices Inc.
+#  Copyright (c) 2022-2025.   Analog Devices Inc.
 #
 #  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 #  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
diff --git a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/handler.py b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/handler.py
index 5128e2f..6d26907 100644
--- a/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/handler.py
+++ b/src/mkdocstrings_handlers/python_xref/handler.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2022=2023.   Analog Devices Inc.
+#  Copyright (c) 2022-2025.   Analog Devices Inc.
 #
 #  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 #  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -17,12 +17,17 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from collections import ChainMap
+import sys
+from dataclasses import dataclass, fields
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any, List, Mapping, Optional
+from textwrap import dedent
+from typing import Annotated, Any, ClassVar, Mapping, MutableMapping, Optional
+from warnings import warn
 
-from griffe import Object
+from mkdocs.config.defaults import MkDocsConfig
+from mkdocstrings.handlers.base import CollectorItem
 from mkdocstrings.loggers import get_logger
+from mkdocstrings_handlers.python.config import PythonOptions, Field, PythonConfig
 from mkdocstrings_handlers.python.handler import PythonHandler
 
 from .crossref import substitute_relative_crossrefs
@@ -33,6 +38,39 @@
 
 logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
+
+# TODO mkdocstrings 0.28
+#   - `name` and `domain` (py) must be specified as class attributes
+#   - `handler` arg to superclass is deprecated
+#   -  add `mdx` arg to constructor to pass on to superclass
+#   - `config_file_path` arg will no longer be passed
+#
+
+# TODO python 3.9 - remove when 3.9 support is dropped
+_dataclass_options = {"frozen": True}
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 10):
+    _dataclass_options["kw_only"] = True
+
+@dataclass(**_dataclass_options)
+class PythonRelXRefOptions(PythonOptions):
+    check_crossrefs: Annotated[
+        bool,
+        Field(
+            group="docstrings",
+            parent="docstring_options",
+            description=dedent(
+                """
+                Enables early checking of all cross-references. 
+                
+                Note that this option only takes affect if **relative_crossrefs** is 
+                also true. This option is true by default, so this option is used to
+                disable checking. Checking can also be disabled on a per-case basis by 
+                prefixing the reference with '?', e.g. `[something][?dontcheckme]`.
+                """
+            ),
+        ),
+    ] = True
+
 class PythonRelXRefHandler(PythonHandler):
     """Extended version of mkdocstrings Python handler
 
@@ -40,56 +78,82 @@ class PythonRelXRefHandler(PythonHandler):
     * Checks cross-references early in order to produce errors with source location
     """
 
-    handler_name: str = __name__.rsplit('.', 2)[1]
-
-    default_config = dict(
-        PythonHandler.default_config,
-        relative_crossrefs = False,
-        check_crossrefs = True,
-    )
-
-    def __init__(self,
-                 theme: str,
-                 custom_templates: Optional[str] = None,
-                 config_file_path: Optional[str] = None,
-                 paths: Optional[List[str]] = None,
-                 locale: str = "en",
-                 **_config: Any,
-                 ):
-        super().__init__(
-            handler = self.handler_name,
-            theme = theme,
-            custom_templates = custom_templates,
-            config_file_path = config_file_path,
-            paths = paths,
-            locale=locale,
+    name: ClassVar[str] = "python_xref"
+    """Override the handler name"""
+
+    def __init__(self, config: PythonConfig, base_dir: Path, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
+        """Initialize the handler.
+
+        Parameters:
+            config: The handler configuration.
+            base_dir: The base directory of the project.
+            **kwargs: Arguments passed to the parent constructor.
+        """
+        check_crossrefs = config.options.pop('check_crossrefs', None)  # Remove
+        super().__init__(config, base_dir, **kwargs)
+        if check_crossrefs is not None:
+            self.global_options["check_crossrefs"] = check_crossrefs
+
+    def get_options(self, local_options: Mapping[str, Any]) -> PythonRelXRefOptions:
+        local_options = dict(local_options)
+        check_crossrefs = local_options.pop('check_crossrefs', None)
+        _opts = super().get_options(local_options)
+        opts = PythonRelXRefOptions(
+            **{field.name: getattr(_opts, field.name) for field in fields(_opts)}
         )
-
-    def render(self, data: Object, config: Mapping[str,Any]) -> str:
-        final_config = ChainMap(config, self.default_config) # type: ignore[arg-type]
-
-        if final_config["relative_crossrefs"]:
-            checkref = self._check_ref if final_config["check_crossrefs"] else None
+        if check_crossrefs is not None:
+            opts.check_crossrefs = bool(check_crossrefs)
+        return opts
+
+    def render(self, data: CollectorItem, options: PythonOptions) -> str:
+        if options.relative_crossrefs:
+            if isinstance(options, PythonRelXRefOptions):
+                checkref = self._check_ref if options.check_crossrefs else None
+            else:
+                checkref = None
             substitute_relative_crossrefs(data, checkref=checkref)
 
         try:
-            return super().render(data, config)
+            return super().render(data, options)
         except Exception:  # pragma: no cover
             print(f"{data.path=}")
             raise
 
     def get_templates_dir(self, handler: Optional[str] = None) -> Path:
         """See [render][.barf]"""
-        if handler == self.handler_name:
+        if handler == self.name:
             handler = 'python'
         return super().get_templates_dir(handler)
 
     def _check_ref(self, ref:str) -> bool:
         """Check for existence of reference"""
         try:
-            self.collect(ref, {})
+            self.collect(ref, PythonOptions())
             return True
         except Exception:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
             # Only expect a CollectionError but we may as well catch everything.
             return False
 
+def get_handler(
+    handler_config: MutableMapping[str, Any],
+    tool_config: MkDocsConfig,
+    **kwargs: Any,
+) -> PythonHandler:
+    """Simply return an instance of `PythonRelXRefHandler`.
+
+    Arguments:
+        handler_config: The handler configuration.
+        tool_config: The tool (SSG) configuration.
+
+    Returns:
+        An instance of `PythonRelXRefHandler`.
+    """
+    base_dir = Path(tool_config.config_file_path or "./mkdocs.yml").parent
+    if "inventories" not in handler_config and "import" in handler_config:
+        warn("The 'import' key is renamed 'inventories' for the Python handler", FutureWarning, stacklevel=1)
+        handler_config["inventories"] = handler_config.pop("import", [])
+    return PythonRelXRefHandler(
+        config=PythonConfig.from_data(**handler_config),
+        base_dir=base_dir,
+        **kwargs,
+    )
diff --git a/tests/test_crossref.py b/tests/test_crossref.py
index 48e102d..d0908fd 100644
--- a/tests/test_crossref.py
+++ b/tests/test_crossref.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2022-2024.   Analog Devices Inc.
+#  Copyright (c) 2022-2025.   Analog Devices Inc.
 #
 #  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 #  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
diff --git a/tests/test_handler.py b/tests/test_handler.py
index bd61bf4..85aed70 100644
--- a/tests/test_handler.py
+++ b/tests/test_handler.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#  Copyright (c) 2022-2024.   Analog Devices Inc.
+#  Copyright (c) 2022-2025.   Analog Devices Inc.
 #
 #  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 #  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -25,19 +25,22 @@
 
 from griffe import Docstring, Object, Module
 from mkdocstrings.handlers.base import CollectionError
+from mkdocstrings_handlers.python.config import PythonConfig
 from mkdocstrings_handlers.python.handler import PythonHandler
-from mkdocstrings_handlers.python_xref.handler import PythonRelXRefHandler
+from mkdocstrings_handlers.python_xref.handler import (
+    PythonRelXRefHandler,
+    PythonRelXRefOptions
+)
 
 def test_handler(tmpdir: PathLike,
                  monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
                  caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture) -> None:
-    """Unit test for GarpyPythonHandler class
+    """Unit test for PythonRelXRefHandler class
 
     This is a minimal whitebox test that just checks whether PythonHandler class has been
     overridden correctly. A separate test should do doc generation and check the results.
     """
 
-    config_file = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'mkdocs.yml')
     os.mkdir(os.path.join(tmpdir, 'path1'))
     os.mkdir(os.path.join(tmpdir, 'path2'))
     os.makedirs(os.path.join(tmpdir, 'custom_templates', 'python'))
@@ -46,18 +49,22 @@ def test_handler(tmpdir: PathLike,
     # Test construction
     #
 
+    config = PythonConfig(  # type: ignore[call-arg]
+        paths = ['path1', 'path2'],
+    )
+
     handler = PythonRelXRefHandler(
-        'material',
-        config_file_path = config_file,
+        config,
+        Path(tmpdir),
+        theme = 'material',
         custom_templates = 'custom_templates',
-        paths = ['path1', 'path2']
     )
-    assert handler.handler_name == 'python_xref'
+    assert handler.name == 'python_xref'
 
     # NOTE: these could break if PythonHandler changes
     # pylint: disable=protected-access
-    assert handler.handler_name == 'python_xref'
-    assert handler._config_file_path == config_file
+    assert handler.name == 'python_xref'
+    # assert handler._config_file_path == config_file
     assert os.path.join(tmpdir, 'path1') in handler._paths
     assert os.path.join(tmpdir, 'path2') in handler._paths
 
@@ -65,7 +72,7 @@ def test_handler(tmpdir: PathLike,
     # Test get_templates_dir() redirection
     #
 
-    assert handler.get_templates_dir(handler.handler_name) == handler.get_templates_dir('python')
+    assert handler.get_templates_dir(handler.name) == handler.get_templates_dir('python')
 
     #
     # Test render()
@@ -88,13 +95,19 @@ def fake_render(_self: PythonHandler, data: Object, _config: dict) -> str:
     docstring = "[foo][.] [bar][bad.]"
     obj.docstring = Docstring(docstring, parent=obj)
 
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, {})
+    rendered = handler.render(obj, PythonRelXRefOptions())
     assert rendered == docstring
 
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=False))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=False), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == docstring
 
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=True))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=True), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == "[foo][mod.foo] [bar][bad.bar]"
     assert len(caplog.records) == 1
     _, level, msg = caplog.record_tuples[0]
@@ -102,17 +115,26 @@ def fake_render(_self: PythonHandler, data: Object, _config: dict) -> str:
     assert "Cannot load reference 'bad.bar'" in msg
     caplog.clear()
 
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=False))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=False), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == "[foo][mod.foo] [bar][bad.bar]"
     assert len(caplog.records) == 0
 
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=False))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=False), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == "[foo][mod.foo] [bar][bad.bar]"
     assert len(caplog.records) == 0
 
     docstring = "\n\n[foo][bad.foo]"
     obj.docstring = Docstring(docstring, parent=obj)
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=True))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=True), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == "[foo][bad.foo]"
     assert len(caplog.records) == 1
     _, level, msg = caplog.record_tuples[0]
@@ -122,6 +144,9 @@ def fake_render(_self: PythonHandler, data: Object, _config: dict) -> str:
 
     docstring = "[foo][?bad.foo] [bar][?bad.]"
     obj.docstring = Docstring(docstring, parent=obj)
-    rendered = handler.render(obj, dict(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=True))
+    rendered = handler.render(
+        obj,
+        PythonRelXRefOptions(relative_crossrefs=True, check_crossrefs=True), # type: ignore[call-arg]
+    )
     assert rendered == "[foo][bad.foo] [bar][bad.bar]"
     assert len(caplog.records) == 0
diff --git a/tests/test_integration.py b/tests/test_integration.py
index 05b82ed..472dd22 100644
--- a/tests/test_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_integration.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 import subprocess as sp
 from os import PathLike
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Dict, List, Tuple
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Tuple
 
 import bs4
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 bar_src_file = test_project_dir.joinpath('src', 'myproj', 'bar.py')
 
 
-def check_autorefs(autorefs: List[bs4.Tag], cases: Dict[Tuple[str,str],str] ) -> None:
+def check_autorefs(autorefs: List[Any], cases: Dict[Tuple[str,str],str] ) -> None:
     """
     Verify autorefs contain expected cases
 
@@ -66,7 +66,13 @@ def test_integration(tmpdir: PathLike) -> None:
         '-d',
         str(site_dir)
     ]
-    result = sp.run(mkdocs_cmd, stdout=sp.PIPE, stderr=sp.PIPE, encoding='utf8', check=False)
+    result = sp.run(
+        mkdocs_cmd,
+        stdout=sp.PIPE,
+        stderr=sp.PIPE,
+        encoding='utf8',
+        check=False,
+    )
 
     assert result.returncode == 0
 
@@ -86,7 +92,7 @@ def test_integration(tmpdir: PathLike) -> None:
     bar_html = site_dir.joinpath('bar', 'index.html').read_text()
     bar_bs = bs4.BeautifulSoup(bar_html, 'html.parser')
 
-    autorefs: List[bs4.Tag] = bar_bs.find_all('a', attrs=['autorefs'])
+    autorefs = bar_bs.find_all('a', {'class' : 'autorefs'})
     assert len(autorefs) >= 5
 
     check_autorefs(
@@ -104,7 +110,7 @@ def test_integration(tmpdir: PathLike) -> None:
     baz_html = site_dir.joinpath('pkg-baz', 'index.html').read_text()
     baz_bs = bs4.BeautifulSoup(baz_html, 'html.parser')
 
-    autorefs = baz_bs.find_all('a', attrs=['autorefs'])
+    autorefs = baz_bs.find_all('a', attrs={'class':'autorefs'})
     assert len(autorefs) >= 1
 
     check_autorefs(