diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs b/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
index 65688b7..eae86ce 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/constants.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 //! Tenderdash protobuf implementation
 
+// Requirements
+pub const DEP_PROTOC_VERSION: f32 = 25.0;
+
 /// Tenderdash repository URL.
 pub const TENDERDASH_REPO: &str = "https://github.com/dashpay/tenderdash";
 
diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs b/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
index f8133bf..7016fbb 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/functions.rs
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ use std::{
     fs::{copy, create_dir_all, read_to_string, remove_dir_all, File},
     io::Write,
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    process::Command,
 };
 
 use walkdir::WalkDir;
 
-use crate::constants::{GenerationMode, DEFAULT_TENDERDASH_COMMITISH};
+use crate::constants::{GenerationMode, DEFAULT_TENDERDASH_COMMITISH, DEP_PROTOC_VERSION};
 
 /// Check out a specific commitish of the tenderdash repository.
 ///
@@ -358,3 +359,54 @@ pub(crate) fn check_state(dir: &Path, commitish: &str) -> bool {
         Err(_) => false,
     }
 }
+
+/// Check if all dependencies are met
+pub(crate) fn check_deps() -> Result<(), String> {
+    dep_protoc(DEP_PROTOC_VERSION).map(|_| ())
+}
+
+/// Check if protoc is installed and has the required version
+fn dep_protoc(expected_version: f32) -> Result<f32, String> {
+    let protoc = prost_build::protoc_from_env();
+
+    // Run `protoc --version` and capture the output
+    let output = Command::new(protoc)
+        .arg("--version")
+        .output()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("failed to run: {}", e))?;
+
+    // Convert the output to a string
+    let out = output.stdout;
+    let version_output = String::from_utf8(out.clone())
+        .map_err(|e| format!("output {:?} is not utf8 string: {}", out, e))?;
+
+    // Extract the version number from string like `libprotoc 25.1`
+    let version: f32 = version_output
+        .split_whitespace()
+        .last()
+        .unwrap()
+        .parse()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("failed to parse protoc version {}: {}", version_output, e))?;
+
+    if version < expected_version {
+        Err(format!(
+            "protoc version must be {} or higher, but found {}; please upgrade: https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/",
+            expected_version, version
+        ))
+    } else {
+        Ok(version)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_protoc_dep() {
+        let expected_versions = vec![(10.1, true), (DEP_PROTOC_VERSION, true), (90.5, false)];
+        for expect in expected_versions {
+            assert_eq!(dep_protoc(expect.0).is_ok(), expect.1);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs b/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
index eaf5c2c..8a411e7 100644
--- a/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
+++ b/proto-compiler/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ mod constants;
 pub use constants::GenerationMode;
 use constants::{CUSTOM_FIELD_ATTRIBUTES, CUSTOM_TYPE_ATTRIBUTES, TENDERDASH_REPO};
 
-use crate::functions::{check_state, save_state};
+use crate::functions::{check_deps, check_state, save_state};
 
 /// Import and compile protobuf definitions for Tenderdash.
 ///
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ pub fn proto_compile(mode: GenerationMode) {
 
     let commitish = tenderdash_commitish();
 
+    // ensure dependencies are up to date
+    if let Err(e) = check_deps() {
+        eprintln!("[error] => {}", e);
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+
     // check if this commitish is already downloaded
     let download = std::fs::metadata(tenderdash_dir.join("proto")).is_err()
         || !check_state(&prost_out_dir, &commitish);