diff --git a/ports/protobuf/portfile.cmake b/ports/protobuf/portfile.cmake
index cc745c82..1891304b 100644
--- a/ports/protobuf/portfile.cmake
+++ b/ports/protobuf/portfile.cmake
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ vcpkg_cmake_install()
 vcpkg_copy_pdbs()
 
 # https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/module/FindProtobuf.html
-vcpkg_cmake_config_fixup(PACKAGE_NAME Protobuf CONFIG_PATH lib/cmake)
+vcpkg_cmake_config_fixup(PACKAGE_NAME protobuf CONFIG_PATH lib/cmake)
 vcpkg_fixup_pkgconfig()
 
 if(BUILD_PROTOC)
@@ -75,12 +75,17 @@ if(BUILD_PROTOC)
     endforeach()
     vcpkg_copy_tools(TOOL_NAMES ${PROTOC_NAMES} AUTO_CLEAN)    
 
-    # protoc executable must be correct version. NO_DEFAULT_PATH
+    # copied from vcpkg upstream: protoc executable must be correct version. NO_DEFAULT_PATH
     configure_file(
         "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake"
         "${CURRENT_PACKAGES_DIR}/share/${PORT}/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake"
         @ONLY
     )
+else()
+    # copied from vcpkg upstream: create protobuf::protoc with the host installed executable
+    file(INSTALL "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf-targets-vcpkg-protoc.cmake"
+        DESTINATION "${CURRENT_PACKAGES_DIR}/share/${PORT}"
+    )
 endif()
 
 file(REMOVE_RECURSE
diff --git a/ports/protobuf/protobuf-targets-vcpkg-protoc.cmake b/ports/protobuf/protobuf-targets-vcpkg-protoc.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..149e6587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ports/protobuf/protobuf-targets-vcpkg-protoc.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Create imported target protobuf::protoc
+add_executable(protobuf::protoc IMPORTED)
+
+# Import target "protobuf::protoc" for configuration "Release"
+set_property(TARGET protobuf::protoc APPEND PROPERTY IMPORTED_CONFIGURATIONS RELEASE)
+set_target_properties(protobuf::protoc PROPERTIES
+    IMPORTED_LOCATION_RELEASE "${Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE}"
+)
diff --git a/ports/protobuf/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake b/ports/protobuf/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake
index 07259d22..f77e0f9d 100644
--- a/ports/protobuf/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake
+++ b/ports/protobuf/vcpkg-cmake-wrapper.cmake
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 find_program(Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE NAMES protoc PATHS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/../../../@HOST_TRIPLET@/tools/protobuf" NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
-message(STATUS "Found protoc: ${Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE}")
 
 _find_package(${ARGS})
diff --git a/versions/p-/protobuf.json b/versions/p-/protobuf.json
index bbaa5b16..2e79ce80 100644
--- a/versions/p-/protobuf.json
+++ b/versions/p-/protobuf.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "versions": [
     {
-      "git-tree": "b4f896ca595e7c38ec74a200f28a12a4648b26d0",
+      "git-tree": "b9417f19fe38ea5c5dd8a79bc69ed7efee1adb72",
       "version": "4.25.5",
       "port-version": 0
     }