diff --git a/.github/actions/go-check-setup/action.yml b/.github/actions/go-check-setup/action.yml
index e674678db5..19c89f599f 100644
--- a/.github/actions/go-check-setup/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/go-check-setup/action.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
+name: go check setup
+description: prepares environment for go-check workflow
+
 runs:
   using: "composite"
   steps:
-    - name: Install Protoc
-      uses: trail-of-forks/setup-protoc@a97892a429d98fae78d26f40334ab7eb616d08b9 # include https://github.com/arduino/setup-protoc/pull/58
-      with:
-        version: '21.12'
-        repo-token: ${{ github.token }}
-    - name: Install Protobuf compiler
+    - name: Install tools
       shell: bash
-      run: go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go
+      run: cd tools; make install
+    - name: Set env
+      shell: bash
+      run: echo "PATH=$PWD/tools/bin:$PATH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 64c6d853dd..516dfe5129 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+tools/bin/
+
 *.swp
 .idea
 *.qlog
diff --git a/core/crypto/pb/crypto.pb.go b/core/crypto/pb/crypto.pb.go
index 0b4067941b..7cb09bc923 100644
--- a/core/crypto/pb/crypto.pb.go
+++ b/core/crypto/pb/crypto.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/crypto.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/core/network/mocks/network.go b/core/network/mocks/network.go
index 73025bd288..64c30092c9 100644
--- a/core/network/mocks/network.go
+++ b/core/network/mocks/network.go
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package mocknetwork
 
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_resource_manager.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ResourceManager"
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_conn_management_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ConnManagementScope"
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_stream_management_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network StreamManagementScope"
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_peer_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network PeerScope"
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_protocol_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ProtocolScope"
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_resource_scope_span.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ResourceScopeSpan"
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_resource_manager.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ResourceManager
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_conn_management_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ConnManagementScope
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_stream_management_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network StreamManagementScope
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_peer_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network PeerScope
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_protocol_scope.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ProtocolScope
+//go:generate mockgen -package mocknetwork -destination mock_resource_scope_span.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network ResourceScopeSpan
diff --git a/core/peer/pb/peer_record.pb.go b/core/peer/pb/peer_record.pb.go
index 2aa8a07aaa..8cce00b81e 100644
--- a/core/peer/pb/peer_record.pb.go
+++ b/core/peer/pb/peer_record.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/peer_record.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/core/record/pb/envelope.pb.go b/core/record/pb/envelope.pb.go
index 1d3c7f25bc..2fc3bb7119 100644
--- a/core/record/pb/envelope.pb.go
+++ b/core/record/pb/envelope.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/envelope.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/core/sec/insecure/pb/plaintext.pb.go b/core/sec/insecure/pb/plaintext.pb.go
index 16b910b4d0..b8c1a18271 100644
--- a/core/sec/insecure/pb/plaintext.pb.go
+++ b/core/sec/insecure/pb/plaintext.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/plaintext.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index bff7698536..71da89c187 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20240506185415-9bf2ced13842
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.7.0
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.20.0
-	golang.org/x/tools v0.21.0
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.34.1
 )
 
@@ -123,6 +122,7 @@ require (
 	golang.org/x/mod v0.17.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/net v0.25.0 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/text v0.15.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/tools v0.21.0 // indirect
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
 	lukechampine.com/blake3 v1.2.1 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/p2p/host/autonat/pb/autonat.pb.go b/p2p/host/autonat/pb/autonat.pb.go
index 2764883f44..49fcd5f9d8 100644
--- a/p2p/host/autonat/pb/autonat.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/host/autonat/pb/autonat.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/autonat.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/host/basic/mock_nat_test.go b/p2p/host/basic/mock_nat_test.go
index e601e7109d..25c62654d6 100644
--- a/p2p/host/basic/mock_nat_test.go
+++ b/p2p/host/basic/mock_nat_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //
 // Generated by this command:
 //
-//	mockgen -build_flags=-tags=gomock -package basichost -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/host/basic NAT
+//	mockgen -package basichost -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/host/basic NAT
 //
 
 // Package basichost is a generated GoMock package.
diff --git a/p2p/host/basic/mocks.go b/p2p/host/basic/mocks.go
index a29a0c5ef7..8fbad28c1f 100644
--- a/p2p/host/basic/mocks.go
+++ b/p2p/host/basic/mocks.go
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-//go:build gomock || generate
-
 package basichost
 
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -build_flags=\"-tags=gomock\" -package basichost -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/host/basic NAT"
+//go:generate mockgen -package basichost -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/host/basic NAT
 type NAT nat
diff --git a/p2p/host/peerstore/pstoreds/pb/pstore.pb.go b/p2p/host/peerstore/pstoreds/pb/pstore.pb.go
index 43c620c0b3..04d0913dcb 100644
--- a/p2p/host/peerstore/pstoreds/pb/pstore.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/host/peerstore/pstoreds/pb/pstore.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/pstore.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/host/pstoremanager/pstoremanager_test.go b/p2p/host/pstoremanager/pstoremanager_test.go
index 9321031c5a..6f2e2ab4b2 100644
--- a/p2p/host/pstoremanager/pstoremanager_test.go
+++ b/p2p/host/pstoremanager/pstoremanager_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
 )
 
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package pstoremanager_test -destination mock_peerstore_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peerstore Peerstore"
+//go:generate mockgen -package pstoremanager_test -destination mock_peerstore_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/peerstore Peerstore
 
 func TestGracePeriod(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
diff --git a/p2p/net/nat/nat_test.go b/p2p/net/nat/nat_test.go
index 50e1eb3a23..6487748944 100644
--- a/p2p/net/nat/nat_test.go
+++ b/p2p/net/nat/nat_test.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
 )
 
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package nat -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-nat NAT"
+//go:generate mockgen -package nat -destination mock_nat_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-nat NAT
 
 func setupMockNAT(t *testing.T) (mockNAT *MockNAT, reset func()) {
 	t.Helper()
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/circuit.pb.go b/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/circuit.pb.go
index d4d285a300..5747c7ca08 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/circuit.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/circuit.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/circuit.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/voucher.pb.go b/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/voucher.pb.go
index 917b537022..bcc6e80121 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/voucher.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/circuitv2/pb/voucher.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/voucher.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/holepunch/pb/holepunch.pb.go b/p2p/protocol/holepunch/pb/holepunch.pb.go
index ca568580c8..3aa9f90cda 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/holepunch/pb/holepunch.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/holepunch/pb/holepunch.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/holepunch.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/identify/pb/identify.pb.go b/p2p/protocol/identify/pb/identify.pb.go
index 1c93815d45..1147050c58 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/identify/pb/identify.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/identify/pb/identify.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/identify.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/security/noise/pb/payload.pb.go b/p2p/security/noise/pb/payload.pb.go
index 8e3a805a58..5eac26540e 100644
--- a/p2p/security/noise/pb/payload.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/security/noise/pb/payload.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: pb/payload.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/test/transport/gating_test.go b/p2p/test/transport/gating_test.go
index df53da6eeb..aafd70e003 100644
--- a/p2p/test/transport/gating_test.go
+++ b/p2p/test/transport/gating_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
 )
 
-//go:generate go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package transport_integration -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater
+//go:generate mockgen -package transport_integration -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater
 
 func stripCertHash(addr ma.Multiaddr) ma.Multiaddr {
 	for {
diff --git a/p2p/test/transport/transport_test.go b/p2p/test/transport/transport_test.go
index e39b72a71a..7464555946 100644
--- a/p2p/test/transport/transport_test.go
+++ b/p2p/test/transport/transport_test.go
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ func TestMoreStreamsThanOurLimits(t *testing.T) {
 						var err error
 						// maxRetries is an arbitrary retry amount if there's any error.
 						maxRetries := streamCount * 4
-						shouldRetry := func(err error) bool {
+						shouldRetry := func(error) bool {
 							didErr = true
 							sawFirstErr.Store(true)
 							maxRetries--
diff --git a/p2p/transport/quic/conn_test.go b/p2p/transport/quic/conn_test.go
index d3e27a7e16..f28743c4cf 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/quic/conn_test.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/quic/conn_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
 )
 
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package libp2pquic -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater && go run golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports -w mock_connection_gater_test.go"
+//go:generate mockgen -package libp2pquic -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater
 
 type connTestCase struct {
 	Name    string
diff --git a/p2p/transport/webrtc/pb/message.pb.go b/p2p/transport/webrtc/pb/message.pb.go
index 384bddd289..159675c604 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/webrtc/pb/message.pb.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/webrtc/pb/message.pb.go
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 // Code generated by protoc-gen-go. DO NOT EDIT.
 // versions:
-// 	protoc-gen-go v1.30.0
-// 	protoc        v3.21.12
+// 	protoc-gen-go v1.34.0
+// 	protoc        v5.26.0
 // source: message.proto
 
 package pb
diff --git a/p2p/transport/webtransport/transport_test.go b/p2p/transport/webtransport/transport_test.go
index f6c850a2b9..a22bae49d6 100644
--- a/p2p/transport/webtransport/transport_test.go
+++ b/p2p/transport/webtransport/transport_test.go
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ func TestResourceManagerListening(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // TODO: unify somehow. We do the same in libp2pquic.
-//go:generate sh -c "go run go.uber.org/mock/mockgen -package libp2pwebtransport_test -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater && go run golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports -w mock_connection_gater_test.go"
+//go:generate mockgen -package libp2pwebtransport_test -destination mock_connection_gater_test.go github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/connmgr ConnectionGater
 
 func TestConnectionGaterDialing(t *testing.T) {
 	ctrl := gomock.NewController(t)
diff --git a/tools.go b/tools.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a650d9c19..0000000000
--- a/tools.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-//go:build tools
-
-package libp2p
-
-import (
-	_ "go.uber.org/mock/mockgen"
-	_ "golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports"
-	_ "google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go"
-)
diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b1042e3680
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+export GOBIN := $(abspath .)/bin
+export PATH := $(GOBIN):$(PATH)
+
+ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
+	UNAME_OS := windows
+	ifeq ($(PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE),AMD64)
+		UNAME_ARCH := x86_64
+	endif
+	ifeq ($(PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE),ARM64)
+		UNAME_ARCH := aarch64
+	endif
+	PROTOC_BUILD := win64
+
+	BIN_DIR := $(abspath .)/bin
+	export PATH := $(BIN_DIR);$(PATH)
+	TMP_PROTOC := $(TEMP)/protoc-$(RANDOM)
+else
+	UNAME_OS := $(shell uname -s)
+	UNAME_ARCH := $(shell uname -m)
+	PROTOC_BUILD := $(shell echo ${UNAME_OS}-${UNAME_ARCH} | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]' | sed 's/darwin/osx/' | sed 's/arm64/aarch_64/' | sed 's/aarch64/aarch_64/')
+
+ 	BIN_DIR := $(abspath .)/bin
+ 	export PATH := $(BIN_DIR):$(PATH)
+ 	TMP_PROTOC := $(shell mktemp -d)
+endif
+
+.PHONY: install-protoc
+install-protoc: protoc-plugins
+	@mkdir -p $(BIN_DIR)
+ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
+	@mkdir -p $(TMP_PROTOC)
+endif
+	curl -sSL https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v26.0/protoc-26.0-${PROTOC_BUILD}.zip -o $(TMP_PROTOC)/protoc.zip
+	@unzip $(TMP_PROTOC)/protoc.zip -d $(TMP_PROTOC)
+	@cp -f $(TMP_PROTOC)/bin/protoc $(BIN_DIR)/protoc
+	@chmod +x $(BIN_DIR)/protoc
+
+protoc-plugins:
+	go install google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go@v1.34.0
+
+.PHONY: install
+install: install-protoc
+	go install go.uber.org/mock/mockgen@v0.4.0
+
+.PHONY: generate
+generate:
+	cd .. && go generate ./...