diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 90a3e4c2604b..f54f68ca0377 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -55,9 +55,6 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - checkout
       - setup_remote_docker
-      - run:
-          name: touch-protos
-          command: make touch-protos
       - run:
           name: build
           command: make GOOS=windows GOGC=10 promtail
diff --git a/.drone/drone.jsonnet b/.drone/drone.jsonnet
index b2efdbe2323b..eca7e77caf4c 100644
--- a/.drone/drone.jsonnet
+++ b/.drone/drone.jsonnet
@@ -210,7 +210,6 @@ local promtail(arch) = pipeline('promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
       when: condition('exclude').tagMain,
       settings+: {
         dry_run: true,
-        build_args: ['TOUCH_PROTOS=1'],
       },
     },
   ] + [
@@ -218,9 +217,7 @@ local promtail(arch) = pipeline('promtail-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
     clients_docker(arch, 'promtail') {
       depends_on: ['image-tag'],
       when: condition('include').tagMain,
-      settings+: {
-        build_args: ['TOUCH_PROTOS=1'],
-      },
+      settings+: {},
     },
   ],
   depends_on: ['check'],
@@ -249,9 +246,7 @@ local lambda_promtail(tags='') = pipeline('lambda-promtail'){
     lambda_promtail_ecr('lambda-promtail') {
       depends_on: ['image-tag'],
       when: condition('include').tagMain,
-      settings+: {
-        build_args: ['TOUCH_PROTOS=1'],
-      },
+      settings+: {},
     },
   ],
   depends_on: ['check'],
@@ -265,7 +260,6 @@ local multiarch_image(arch) = pipeline('docker-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
       when: condition('exclude').tagMain,
       settings+: {
         dry_run: true,
-        build_args: ['TOUCH_PROTOS=1'],
       },
     }
     for app in apps
@@ -274,9 +268,7 @@ local multiarch_image(arch) = pipeline('docker-' + arch) + arch_image(arch) {
     docker(arch, app) {
       depends_on: ['image-tag'],
       when: condition('include').tagMain,
-      settings+: {
-        build_args: ['TOUCH_PROTOS=1'],
-      },
+      settings+: {},
     }
     for app in apps
   ],
@@ -323,9 +315,9 @@ local manifest(apps) = pipeline('manifest') {
       path: 'loki',
     },
     steps: [
-      make('test', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone'] },
-      make('lint', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone'] },
       make('check-generated-files', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone'] },
+      make('test', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone','check-generated-files'] },
+      make('lint', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone','check-generated-files'] },
       make('check-mod', container=false) { depends_on: ['clone', 'test', 'lint'] },
       {
         name: 'shellcheck',
diff --git a/.drone/drone.yml b/.drone/drone.yml
index add72a6c397d..3cbb6adbdbb1 100644
--- a/.drone/drone.yml
+++ b/.drone/drone.yml
@@ -3,23 +3,25 @@ kind: pipeline
 name: check
 steps:
 - commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false test
+  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-generated-files
   depends_on:
   - clone
   image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.18.0
-  name: test
+  name: check-generated-files
 - commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false lint
+  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false test
   depends_on:
   - clone
+  - check-generated-files
   image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.18.0
-  name: lint
+  name: test
 - commands:
-  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-generated-files
+  - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false lint
   depends_on:
   - clone
+  - check-generated-files
   image: grafana/loki-build-image:0.18.0
-  name: check-generated-files
+  name: lint
 - commands:
   - make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false check-mod
   depends_on:
@@ -73,8 +75,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -93,8 +93,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -113,8 +111,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -133,8 +129,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -153,8 +147,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -173,8 +165,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -208,8 +198,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -228,8 +216,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -248,8 +234,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -268,8 +252,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -288,8 +270,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -308,8 +288,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -343,8 +321,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -363,8 +339,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -383,8 +357,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -403,8 +375,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -423,8 +393,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-loki-canary-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -443,8 +411,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-logcli-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -478,8 +444,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -498,8 +462,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -533,8 +495,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -553,8 +513,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -588,8 +546,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: build-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32
     dry_run: true
     password:
@@ -608,8 +564,6 @@ steps:
   image: plugins/docker
   name: publish-promtail-image
   settings:
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32
     dry_run: false
     password:
@@ -925,8 +879,6 @@ steps:
   settings:
     access_key:
       from_secret: ecr_key
-    build_args:
-    - TOUCH_PROTOS=1
     dockerfile: tools/lambda-promtail/Dockerfile
     dry_run: false
     region: us-east-1
@@ -984,6 +936,6 @@ kind: secret
 name: deploy_config
 ---
 kind: signature
-hmac: 55440faa2728a5b8abbd213c2cf198e01f00201ba7143391924da1b9aa02c350
+hmac: b51ec8dfc84d0be83827fc851b21b81e1091886be480d675f51485b647e58001
 
 ...
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0b9c51001770..a6ea61fecff5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 .DEFAULT_GOAL := all
-.PHONY: all images check-generated-files logcli loki loki-debug promtail promtail-debug loki-canary lint test clean yacc protos touch-protobuf-sources touch-protos format
+.PHONY: all images check-generated-files logcli loki loki-debug promtail promtail-debug loki-canary lint test clean yacc protos touch-protobuf-sources format
 .PHONY: docker-driver docker-driver-clean docker-driver-enable docker-driver-push
 .PHONY: fluent-bit-image, fluent-bit-push, fluent-bit-test
 .PHONY: fluentd-image, fluentd-push, fluentd-test
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 .PHONY: benchmark-store, drone, check-mod
 .PHONY: migrate migrate-image lint-markdown ragel
 .PHONY: validate-example-configs generate-example-config-doc check-example-config-doc
+.PHONY: clean clean-protos
 
 SHELL = /usr/bin/env bash
 
@@ -128,10 +129,10 @@ binfmt:
 ################
 # Main Targets #
 ################
-all: promtail logcli loki loki-canary check-generated-files
+all: promtail logcli loki loki-canary
 
 # This is really a check for the CI to make sure generated files are built and checked in manually
-check-generated-files: touch-protobuf-sources yacc ragel protos clients/pkg/promtail/server/ui/assets_vfsdata.go
+check-generated-files: yacc ragel protos clients/pkg/promtail/server/ui/assets_vfsdata.go
 	@if ! (git diff --exit-code $(YACC_GOS) $(RAGEL_GOS) $(PROTO_GOS) $(PROMTAIL_GENERATED_FILE)); then \
 		echo "\nChanges found in generated files"; \
 		echo "Run 'make check-generated-files' and commit the changes to fix this error."; \
@@ -140,14 +141,6 @@ check-generated-files: touch-protobuf-sources yacc ragel protos clients/pkg/prom
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
-# Trick used to ensure that protobuf files are always compiled even if not changed, because the
-# tooling may have been upgraded and the compiled output may be different. We're not using a
-# PHONY target so that we can control where we want to touch it.
-touch-protobuf-sources:
-	for def in $(PROTO_DEFS); do \
-		touch $$def; \
-	done
-
 ##########
 # Logcli #
 ##########
@@ -165,8 +158,8 @@ cmd/logcli/logcli: $(APP_GO_FILES) cmd/logcli/main.go
 # Loki #
 ########
 
-loki: protos yacc ragel cmd/loki/loki
-loki-debug: protos yacc ragel cmd/loki/loki-debug
+loki: cmd/loki/loki
+loki-debug: cmd/loki/loki-debug
 
 cmd/loki/loki: $(APP_GO_FILES) cmd/loki/main.go
 	CGO_ENABLED=0 go build $(GO_FLAGS) -o $@ ./$(@D)
@@ -180,7 +173,7 @@ cmd/loki/loki-debug: $(APP_GO_FILES) cmd/loki/main.go
 # Loki-Canary #
 ###############
 
-loki-canary: protos yacc ragel cmd/loki-canary/loki-canary
+loki-canary: cmd/loki-canary/loki-canary
 
 cmd/loki-canary/loki-canary: $(APP_GO_FILES) cmd/loki-canary/main.go
 	CGO_ENABLED=0 go build $(GO_FLAGS) -o $@ ./$(@D)
@@ -281,6 +274,9 @@ test: all
 # Clean #
 #########
 
+clean-protos:
+	rm -rf $(PROTO_GOS)
+
 clean:
 	rm -rf clients/cmd/promtail/promtail
 	rm -rf cmd/loki/loki
@@ -340,13 +336,9 @@ endif
 # Protobufs #
 #############
 
-protos: $(PROTO_GOS)
-
-# use with care. This signals to make that the proto definitions don't need recompiling.
-touch-protos:
-	for proto in $(PROTO_GOS); do [ -f "./$${proto}" ] && touch "$${proto}" && echo "touched $${proto}"; done
+protos: clean-protos $(PROTO_GOS)
 
-%.pb.go: $(PROTO_DEFS)
+%.pb.go:
 ifeq ($(BUILD_IN_CONTAINER),true)
 	@mkdir -p $(shell pwd)/.pkg
 	@mkdir -p $(shell pwd)/.cache
diff --git a/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile b/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
index 726d7366ff3b..1d037f7c3900 100644
--- a/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
+++ b/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2-bullseye as build
-# TOUCH_PROTOS signifies if we should touch the compiled proto files and thus not regenerate them.
-# This is helpful when file system timestamps can't be trusted with make
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
+
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
 # Backports repo required to get a libsystemd version 246 or newer which is required to handle journal +ZSTD compression
 RUN echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye-backports main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -t bullseye-backports -qy libsystemd-dev
-RUN make clean && (if [ "${TOUCH_PROTOS}" ]; then make touch-protos; fi) && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false promtail
+RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false promtail
 
 # Promtail requires debian as the base image to support systemd journal reading
 FROM debian:bullseye-slim
diff --git a/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32 b/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32
index 0a5e8c759090..a0da39364c11 100644
--- a/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32
+++ b/clients/cmd/promtail/Dockerfile.arm32
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2 as build
-# TOUCH_PROTOS signifies if we should touch the compiled proto files and thus not regenerate them.
-# This is helpful when file system timestamps can't be trusted with make
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
+
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -qy libsystemd-dev
-RUN make clean && (if [ "${TOUCH_PROTOS}" ]; then make touch-protos; fi) && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false promtail
+RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false promtail
 
 # Promtail requires debian as the base image to support systemd journal reading
 FROM debian:stretch-slim
diff --git a/cmd/logcli/Dockerfile b/cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
index d804f4112809..70598177de1a 100644
--- a/cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/logcli/Dockerfile
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2 as build
 
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
-RUN make clean && (if [ "${TOUCH_PROTOS}" ]; then make touch-protos; fi) && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false logcli
+RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false logcli
 
 FROM alpine:3.13
 
diff --git a/cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile b/cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
index e5aa0b6a8c80..7faa6450efa9 100644
--- a/cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/loki-canary/Dockerfile
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2 as build
-# TOUCH_PROTOS signifies if we should touch the compiled proto files and thus not regenerate them.
-# This is helpful when file system timestamps can't be trusted with make
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
+
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
-RUN make clean && (if [ "${TOUCH_PROTOS}" ]; then make touch-protos; fi) && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki-canary
+RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki-canary
 
 FROM alpine:3.13
 RUN apk add --update --no-cache ca-certificates
diff --git a/cmd/loki/Dockerfile b/cmd/loki/Dockerfile
index 81b69d4ef4c8..0fad55ff9bcf 100644
--- a/cmd/loki/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/loki/Dockerfile
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2 as build
-# TOUCH_PROTOS signifies if we should touch the compiled proto files and thus not regenerate them.
-# This is helpful when file system timestamps can't be trusted with make
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
+
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
-RUN make clean && (if [ "${TOUCH_PROTOS}" ]; then make touch-protos; fi) && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki
+RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki
 
 FROM alpine:3.13
 
diff --git a/cmd/querytee/Dockerfile b/cmd/querytee/Dockerfile
index ec873807529a..61e328e0a5d2 100644
--- a/cmd/querytee/Dockerfile
+++ b/cmd/querytee/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 FROM golang:1.17.2 as build
 
-ARG TOUCH_PROTOS
 COPY . /src/loki
 WORKDIR /src/loki
 RUN make clean && make BUILD_IN_CONTAINER=false loki-querytee