diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3188393..6ae9fca 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,21 @@
-# You must use the current protoc-gen-go
+# You must use the current google protoc-gen-go
 #
-# go-clone --go-src google.golang.org/protobuf
 # cd ~/go/src/google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go
 # go install
 
+check-for-protoc-gen-go:
+	@if [ -f "/usr/bin/bin/protoc-gen-go" ]; then \
+		echo "the protoc-gen-go package is old in debian sid right now"; \
+		echo "for now, remove it"; \
+		apt remote proto-gen-go \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if [ ! -f "$(HOME)/go/bin/protoc-gen-go" ]; then \
+		echo "you must build protoc-gen-go from google"; \
+		echo go-clone google.golang.org/protobuf; \
+		cd ~/go/src/google.golang.org/protobuf/cmd/protoc-gen-go/ && go install; \
+	fi
+	make all
 
 all: droplet.pb.go hypervisor.pb.go event.pb.go experiments.pb.go
 	make -C example
diff --git a/work/google.golang.org/protobuf b/work/google.golang.org/protobuf
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..29947bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/work/google.golang.org/protobuf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 29947bbd165cd2034df6d15ae06feb83af40c572