diff --git a/pkgs/applications/misc/ola/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/misc/ola/default.nix
index 8d4d4df4ef755..f58b418d52f06 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/misc/ola/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/misc/ola/default.nix
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     python3
   ];
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
-    (python3.pkgs.protobuf.override { protobuf = protobuf; })
+    (python3.pkgs.protobuf4.override { protobuf = protobuf; })
     python3.pkgs.numpy
   ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic.nix
index 71f8e90b774a2..75137ea599473 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 , grpc
 , enableShared ? !stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic
 
+, testers
+, protobuf
 , ...
 }:
 
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   src = fetchFromGitHub {
     owner = "protocolbuffers";
     repo = "protobuf";
-    rev = "v${version}";
+    rev = "refs/tags/v${version}";
     inherit hash;
   };
 
@@ -89,10 +91,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
 
   passthru = {
     tests = {
-      pythonProtobuf = python3.pkgs.protobuf.override (_: {
-        protobuf = finalAttrs.finalPackage;
-      });
+      pythonProtobuf = python3.pkgs.protobuf;
       inherit grpc;
+      version = testers.testVersion { package = protobuf; };
     };
 
     inherit abseil-cpp;
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     license = lib.licenses.bsd3;
     platforms = lib.platforms.all;
     homepage = "https://protobuf.dev/";
-    maintainers = [ ];
+    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ GaetanLepage ];
     mainProgram = "protoc";
   };
 })
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/or-tools/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/or-tools/default.nix
index cb4670204d112..8e7f2e26f7a3d 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/or-tools/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/or-tools/default.nix
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     abseil-cpp
     protobuf
-    (python.pkgs.protobuf.override { protobuf = protobuf; })
+    (python.pkgs.protobuf4.override { protobuf = protobuf; })
     python.pkgs.numpy
   ];
   nativeCheckInputs = [
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index ce1cdfdeff141..9f43ea8d398c6 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -23147,7 +23147,7 @@ with pkgs;
 
   prospector = callPackage ../development/tools/prospector { };
 
-  protobuf = protobuf_25;
+  protobuf = protobuf_28;
 
   inherit
     ({
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 079d58d61c12d..508faf10c908d 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -10894,7 +10894,7 @@ self: super: with self; {
   protobuf5 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/protobuf/default.nix { };
 
   # If a protobuf upgrade causes many Python packages to fail, please pin it here to the previous version.
-  protobuf = protobuf4;
+  protobuf = protobuf5;
 
   protobuf3-to-dict = callPackage ../development/python-modules/protobuf3-to-dict { };
 
@@ -15540,7 +15540,7 @@ self: super: with self; {
       ).override {
         protobuf = protobufTF;
       };
-      protobuf-pythonTF = self.protobuf.override {
+      protobuf-pythonTF = self.protobuf4.override {
         protobuf = protobufTF;
       };
       grpcioTF = self.grpcio.override {