diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 87e12bb..7fba03c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "proc-macro2",
  "quote",
  "regex",
- "rustc-hash",
+ "rustc-hash 2.1.1",
  "shlex",
  "syn 2.0.108",
 ]
@@ -780,10 +780,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "sha2",
+ "sqlite-watcher",
  "tempfile",
  "tokio",
  "tokio-postgres",
  "toml",
+ "tonic",
+ "tower",
  "tracing",
  "tracing-subscriber",
  "url",
@@ -1200,10 +1203,8 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "fxhash"
 version = "0.2.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c31b6d751ae2c7f11320402d34e41349dd1016f8d5d45e48c4312bc8625af50c"
 dependencies = [
- "byteorder",
+ "rustc-hash 1.1.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2583,6 +2584,70 @@ dependencies = [
  "prost",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d1c381df33c98266b5f08186583660090a4ffa0889e76c7e9a5e175f645a67fa"
+dependencies = [
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-aarch_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-ppcle_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-s390_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-x86_32",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-x86_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-macos-aarch_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-macos-x86_64",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored-win32",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-aarch_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c350df4d49b5b9e3ca79f7e646fde2377b199e13cfa87320308397e1f37e1a4c"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-ppcle_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a55a63e6c7244f19b5c6393f025017eb5d793fd5467823a099740a7a4222440c"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-s390_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1dba5565db4288e935d5330a07c264a4ee8e4a5b4a4e6f4e83fad824cc32f3b0"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-x86_32"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8854774b24ee28b7868cd71dccaae8e02a2365e67a4a87a6cd11ee6cdbdf9cf5"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-linux-x86_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b38b07546580df720fa464ce124c4b03630a6fb83e05c336fea2a241df7e5d78"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-macos-aarch_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "89278a9926ce312e51f1d999fee8825d324d603213344a9a706daa009f1d8092"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-macos-x86_64"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "81745feda7ccfb9471d7a4de888f0652e806d5795b61480605d4943176299756"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "protoc-bin-vendored-win32"
+version = "3.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "95067976aca6421a523e491fce939a3e65249bac4b977adee0ee9771568e8aa3"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ptr_meta"
 version = "0.1.4"
@@ -2862,6 +2927,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde_json",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "rustc-hash"
+version = "1.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "08d43f7aa6b08d49f382cde6a7982047c3426db949b1424bc4b7ec9ae12c6ce2"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "rustc-hash"
 version = "2.1.1"
@@ -3254,6 +3325,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "dirs",
  "prost",
+ "protoc-bin-vendored",
  "rusqlite",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
diff --git a/PR_BODY.md b/PR_BODY.md
index cc21e29..3dec17c 100644
--- a/PR_BODY.md
+++ b/PR_BODY.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ## Summary
-- fix sqlite sync change-state handling by treating watcher wal_frame/cursor fields as optional strings and cleaning up unused code
-- implement FromStr for sqlite ChangeOperation and resolve needless borrow lints in queue/server modules
-- keep clippy happy by applying the suggested clamp change and ensuring proto tests build
+- vendor `protoc` via `protoc-bin-vendored` so sqlite-watcher can build on runners without system protobuf
+- update build script to set `PROTOC` before invoking `tonic_build`
+- refresh Cargo.lock to capture the new dependencies
 
 ## Testing
 - cargo clippy
diff --git a/sqlite-watcher/Cargo.toml b/sqlite-watcher/Cargo.toml
index b81704e..2cb9751 100644
--- a/sqlite-watcher/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sqlite-watcher/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ build = "build.rs"
 
 [build-dependencies]
 tonic-build = "0.11"
+protoc-bin-vendored = "3"
 
 [dependencies]
 anyhow = "1.0"
diff --git a/sqlite-watcher/build.rs b/sqlite-watcher/build.rs
index a38290d..e71d018 100644
--- a/sqlite-watcher/build.rs
+++ b/sqlite-watcher/build.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let protoc = protoc_bin_vendored::protoc_bin_path()?;
+    std::env::set_var("PROTOC", protoc);
     tonic_build::configure()
         .build_client(true)
         .build_server(true)