diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 8ce701868..9d7b1df30 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 [submodule "app proto submodule"]
-	path = app/src/main/proto
-	url = https://github.com/meshtastic/protobufs.git
-[submodule "mesh_service_example proto submodule"]
-	path = mesh_service_example/src/main/proto
+	path = core/proto/src/main/proto
 	url = https://github.com/meshtastic/protobufs.git
 [submodule "design"]
 	path = design
diff --git a/app/build.gradle.kts b/app/build.gradle.kts
index 226846f79..e01406911 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app/build.gradle.kts
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 import com.geeksville.mesh.buildlogic.Configs
 import com.geeksville.mesh.buildlogic.GitVersionValueSource
-import com.google.protobuf.gradle.proto
 import java.io.FileInputStream
 import java.util.Properties
 
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ plugins {
     alias(libs.plugins.meshtastic.android.room)
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlin.parcelize)
     alias(libs.plugins.meshtastic.kotlinx.serialization)
-    alias(libs.plugins.protobuf)
     alias(libs.plugins.devtools.ksp)
     alias(libs.plugins.datadog)
     alias(libs.plugins.secrets)
@@ -147,7 +145,6 @@ android {
     bundle { language { enableSplit = false } }
     buildFeatures { aidl = true }
     sourceSets {
-        named("main") { proto { srcDir("src/main/proto") } }
         // Adds exported schema location as test app assets.
         named("androidTest") { assets.srcDirs(files("$projectDir/schemas")) }
     }
@@ -164,27 +161,8 @@ datadog {
     //    }
 }
 
-// per protobuf-gradle-plugin docs, this is recommended for android
-protobuf {
-    protoc { artifact = libs.protoc.get().toString() }
-    generateProtoTasks {
-        all().forEach { task ->
-            task.builtins {
-                create("java") {}
-                create("kotlin") {}
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 // workaround for https://github.com/google/ksp/issues/1590
 androidComponents {
-    onVariants(selector().all()) { variant ->
-        project.afterEvaluate {
-            val variantNameCapped = variant.name.replaceFirstChar { it.uppercase() }
-            tasks.named("ksp${variantNameCapped}Kotlin") { dependsOn("generate${variantNameCapped}Proto") }
-        }
-    }
     onVariants(selector().withBuildType("release")) { variant ->
         if (variant.flavorName == "google") {
             val variantNameCapped = variant.name.replaceFirstChar { it.uppercase() }
@@ -204,12 +182,12 @@ dependencies {
     implementation(projects.core.navigation)
     implementation(projects.core.network)
     implementation(projects.core.prefs)
+    implementation(projects.core.proto)
 
     // Bundles
     implementation(libs.bundles.markdown)
     implementation(libs.bundles.coroutines)
     implementation(libs.bundles.datastore)
-    implementation(libs.bundles.protobuf)
     implementation(libs.bundles.coil)
 
     // ZXing
diff --git a/app/src/main/proto b/app/src/main/proto
deleted file mode 160000
index 6a8b80a10..000000000
--- a/app/src/main/proto
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 6a8b80a10835acf48b2dfa2ad8aa0cc596219619
diff --git a/core/proto/build.gradle.kts b/core/proto/build.gradle.kts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e914679f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/proto/build.gradle.kts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Meshtastic LLC
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Meshtastic LLC
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+plugins {
+    alias(libs.plugins.meshtastic.android.library)
+    alias(libs.plugins.protobuf)
+}
+
+android { namespace = "org.meshtastic.core.proto" }
+
+// per protobuf-gradle-plugin docs, this is recommended for android
+protobuf {
+    protoc { artifact = libs.protoc.get().toString() }
+    generateProtoTasks {
+        all().forEach { task ->
+            task.builtins {
+                create("java") {}
+                create("kotlin") {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+dependencies {
+    // This needs to be API for consuming modules
+    api(libs.protobuf.kotlin)
+}
diff --git a/core/proto/src/main/proto b/core/proto/src/main/proto
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..46b81e822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/proto/src/main/proto
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 46b81e822af1b8e408f437092337f129dee693e6
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index ffc78c1cc..199f724e7 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@ coil = ["coil", "coil-network-core", "coil-network-okhttp", "coil-svg"]
 datadog = ["dd-sdk-android-compose", "dd-sdk-android-logs", "dd-sdk-android-okhttp", "dd-sdk-android-rum", "dd-sdk-android-session-replay", "dd-sdk-android-session-replay-compose", "dd-sdk-android-timber", "dd-sdk-android-trace", "dd-sdk-android-trace-otel"]
 markdown = ["markdown-renderer", "markdown-renderer-m3", "markdown-renderer-android"]
 osm = ["osmdroid-android", "osmbonuspack", "mgrs"]
-protobuf = ["protobuf-kotlin"]
 
 # Testing
 testing = ["junit", "ext-junit"]
diff --git a/mesh_service_example/build.gradle.kts b/mesh_service_example/build.gradle.kts
index 3fa4ba691..1642db333 100644
--- a/mesh_service_example/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/mesh_service_example/build.gradle.kts
@@ -1,3 +1,22 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Meshtastic LLC
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+import com.geeksville.mesh.buildlogic.FlavorDimension
+import com.geeksville.mesh.buildlogic.MeshtasticFlavor
+
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2025 Meshtastic LLC
  *
@@ -20,36 +39,26 @@ plugins {
     alias(libs.plugins.meshtastic.android.application.compose)
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlin.parcelize)
     alias(libs.plugins.kotlin.serialization)
-    alias(libs.plugins.protobuf)
     alias(libs.plugins.kover)
 }
 
 android {
     namespace = "com.meshtastic.android.meshserviceexample"
     buildFeatures { aidl = true }
-}
-
-// per protobuf-gradle-plugin docs, this is recommended for android
-protobuf {
-    protoc { protoc { artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:4.32.1" } }
-    generateProtoTasks {
-        all().forEach { task ->
-            task.builtins {
-                create("java")
-                create("kotlin")
-            }
-        }
+    defaultConfig {
+        // Force this app to use the Google variant of any modules it's using that apply AndroidLibraryConventionPlugin
+        missingDimensionStrategy(FlavorDimension.marketplace.name, MeshtasticFlavor.google.name)
     }
 }
 
 dependencies {
+    implementation(projects.core.proto)
+
     implementation(libs.appcompat)
     implementation(libs.material)
     implementation(libs.activity)
     implementation(libs.constraintlayout)
 
-    implementation(libs.bundles.protobuf)
-
     implementation(libs.kotlinx.serialization.json)
 
     // OSM
diff --git a/mesh_service_example/src/main/proto b/mesh_service_example/src/main/proto
deleted file mode 160000
index 6a8b80a10..000000000
--- a/mesh_service_example/src/main/proto
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Subproject commit 6a8b80a10835acf48b2dfa2ad8aa0cc596219619
diff --git a/settings.gradle.kts b/settings.gradle.kts
index 45023e1e6..492eae87b 100644
--- a/settings.gradle.kts
+++ b/settings.gradle.kts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import org.gradle.kotlin.dsl.maven
  * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-include(":app", ":core:model", ":core:navigation", ":core:network", ":core:prefs", ":mesh_service_example")
+include(":app", ":core:model", ":core:navigation", ":core:network", ":core:prefs", ":core:proto", ":mesh_service_example")
 rootProject.name = "MeshtasticAndroid"
 
 // https://docs.gradle.org/current/userguide/declaring_dependencies.html#sec:type-safe-project-accessors