diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index e6d7f469f..d889ed169 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Go
         run: |
           go get -u golang.org/x/lint/golint
-          go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.34.1
-          go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v1.4
+          fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh
+          PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v4
         with:
           python-version: '3.11'
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ jobs:
           go vet ./... || true
       - name: Check generated protos
         run: |
-          fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh
+          fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh
           if [[ "$(git status --porcelain | grep .pb.go)" != "" ]]; then
             echo "At least one generated proto file is not in sync with the committed generated proto files."
-            echo "Please run \`PATH=~/go/bin:\$PATH fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh\`."
+            echo "Please run \`PATH=~/go/bin:\$PATH fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh\`."
             echo "pip packages:"
             pip freeze
             echo "git diff:"
diff --git a/fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh b/fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh
similarity index 71%
rename from fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh
rename to fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh
index c2678aeef..8c9b81180 100755
--- a/fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh
+++ b/fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ echo 'Transpiling required protos to Go and Python.'
 # Go to this script's directory.
 cd "$(/usr/bin/dirname "$(/bin/readlink -e "${0}")")"
 
-find .. -name '*.proto' -print0 | xargs -0 -t -I % python -m grpc_tools.protoc \
+# Check dependencies.
+./generate_protos_setup.sh check
+
+find .. -name '*.proto' -print0 | xargs -0 -t -I % protoc \
   --go_out=.. --go-grpc_out=.. \
   --go_opt=paths=source_relative --go-grpc_opt=paths=source_relative \
   --proto_path=.. %
diff --git a/fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh b/fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..b26a18d9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+PROTOC_VER="26.1" # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases
+GEN_GO_VER="1.34.1" # https://pkg.go.dev/google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go?tab=versions
+GEN_GO_GRPC_VER="1.4.0" # https://pkg.go.dev/google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc?tab=versions
+
+function err() {
+  echo "$*" >&2
+}
+
+# Installs protoc from https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases to
+# ~/.local/bin. Well known proto types are placed in ~/.local/include.
+# Globals:
+#   PROTOC_VER
+# Arguments:
+#   None
+function install_protoc() {
+  local temp_zip
+  temp_zip="$(mktemp)"
+  trap "rm -f ${temp_zip}" EXIT
+  curl -L "https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v${PROTOC_VER}/protoc-${PROTOC_VER}-linux-x86_64.zip" -o "${temp_zip}"
+  unzip -o "${temp_zip}" -x readme.txt -d "${HOME}/.local"
+  echo "Installed protoc v${PROTOC_VER}. Ensure ${HOME}/.local/bin is in your PATH."
+}
+
+if [[ "$(protoc --version)" != "libprotoc ${PROTOC_VER}" ]]; then
+  if [[ "$1" == "check" ]]; then
+    err "Wrong protobuf version, please run fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  install_protoc
+fi
+
+if [[ "$(protoc-gen-go --version)" != "protoc-gen-go v${GEN_GO_VER}" ]]; then
+  if [[ "$1" == "check" ]]; then
+    err "Wrong protoc-gen-go version, please run fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  go install "google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v${GEN_GO_VER}"
+fi
+
+if [[ "$(protoc-gen-go-grpc --version)" != "protoc-gen-go-grpc ${GEN_GO_GRPC_VER}" ]]; then
+  if [[ "$1" == "check" ]]; then
+    err "Wrong protoc-gen-go-grpc version, please run fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  go install "google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v${GEN_GO_GRPC_VER}"
+fi
diff --git a/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-client/Dockerfile b/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-client/Dockerfile
index 02c3df54d..a499d09c3 100644
--- a/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-client/Dockerfile
+++ b/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-client/Dockerfile
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-c"]
 RUN git clone https://github.com/google/fleetspeak.git && \
     cd fleetspeak && \
     go get -u golang.org/x/lint/golint && \
-    go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.28.0 && \
-    go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v1.2
+    ./fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh
+
+ENV PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
 
 RUN mkdir -p /app/bin
 
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ RUN cd /fleetspeak && \
     pip install wheel pytest && \
     pip install -e ./fleetspeak_python[test] && \
     pip install -e ./frr_python && \
-    ./fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh && \
+    ./fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh && \
     go build -o /app/bin/server ./cmd/fleetspeak_server && \
     go build -o /app/bin/client ./cmd/fleetspeak_client && \
     go build -o /app/bin/fleetspeak_config ./cmd/fleetspeak_config
diff --git a/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-server/Dockerfile b/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-server/Dockerfile
index e4936edaf..ac16f9771 100644
--- a/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-server/Dockerfile
+++ b/sandboxes/shared/fleetspeak-server/Dockerfile
@@ -25,8 +25,9 @@ SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-c"]
 RUN git clone https://github.com/google/fleetspeak.git && \
     cd fleetspeak && \
     go get -u golang.org/x/lint/golint && \
-    go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.28.0 && \
-    go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v1.2
+    ./fleetspeak/generate_protos_setup.sh
+
+ENV PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
 
 ENV GOBIN=/fleetspeak-bin
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ RUN cd /fleetspeak && \
     pip install wheel pytest && \
     pip install -e ./fleetspeak_python[test] && \
     pip install -e ./frr_python && \
-    ./fleetspeak/generate_go_py_protos.sh && \
+    ./fleetspeak/generate_protos.sh && \
     go install ./cmd/fleetspeak_server ./cmd/fleetspeak_client \
         ./cmd/fleetspeak_config