diff --git a/.github/workflows/go-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/go-tests.yml
index 52de434ad9b..b9a748cdd3c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/go-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/go-tests.yml
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run "make generate" and check for changes
       run: |
         set -e
+        apt install protobuf-compiler
+        go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.34.2
+        go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v1.5.1
         make generate 2>/dev/null
         if [[ $(git status --porcelain) ]]; then
           echo "Error: Uncommitted changes found after running 'make generate'. Please commit all generated code."
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c8d1b001530..36d1b506f1f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -268,8 +268,7 @@ generate:  ## Generate code for the database and APIs
 	$(GO) generate ./pkg/database/ent
 	$(GO) generate ./pkg/models
 	$(GO) generate ./pkg/modelscapi
-	# TODO: install the protoc-gen-go plugin in CI
-	# $(GO) generate ./pkg/protobufs
+	$(GO) generate ./pkg/protobufs
 
 .PHONY: testclean
 testclean: bats-clean  ## Remove test artifacts
diff --git a/pkg/protobufs/generate.go b/pkg/protobufs/generate.go
index 44e81008e73..de868a5310a 100644
--- a/pkg/protobufs/generate.go
+++ b/pkg/protobufs/generate.go
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 package protobufs
 
+// Dependencies:
+//
 // apt install protobuf-compiler
-// go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@latest
-// go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@latest
+//
+// keep this in sync with go.mod
+// go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.34.2
+//
+// Not the same versions as google.golang.org/grpc
+// go list -m -versions google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc
+// go install google.golang.org/grpc/cmd/protoc-gen-go-grpc@v1.5.
 
 //go:generate protoc --go_out=. --go_opt=paths=source_relative --go-grpc_out=. --go-grpc_opt=paths=source_relative notifier.proto