diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/Dockerfile b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/Dockerfile
index 3f701fc8e..722544f13 100644
--- a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/Dockerfile
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/Dockerfile
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ RUN dnf install -y \
         zlib-devel \
         systemd-rpm-macros \
         cmake-rpm-macros  \
+        protobuf-c-devel \
         perl \
     && dnf config-manager --set-enabled powertools \
     && dnf install -y \
diff --git a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/openssl/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/openssl/portfile.cmake
rename to .github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..884192320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-8/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "protobuf-c",
+  "version": "0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/Dockerfile b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/Dockerfile
index ec88913ba..04f57c3d6 100644
--- a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/Dockerfile
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/Dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ RUN dnf install -y \
         doxygen \
         graphviz \
         git \
+        json-c-devel \
+        protobuf-c-devel \
         ninja-build \
     && dnf clean all 
 
diff --git a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/zlib/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/portfile.cmake
similarity index 100%
rename from vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/zlib/portfile.cmake
rename to .github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/portfile.cmake
diff --git a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/zlib/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json
similarity index 50%
rename from vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/zlib/vcpkg.json
rename to .github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json
index 03a0aca67..ab78d5925 100644
--- a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/zlib/vcpkg.json
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-  "name": "zlib",
+  "name": "json-c",
   "version": "0"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0015715fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+set(VCPKG_POLICY_EMPTY_PACKAGE enabled)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..884192320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/redhat-9/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "protobuf-c",
+  "version": "0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/Dockerfile b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/Dockerfile
index 883ba0d17..6b6652938 100644
--- a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/Dockerfile
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/Dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ RUN apt-get update \
         doxygen \
         git \
         graphviz \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev \
         libsystemd-dev \
         libtool \
         pkg-config \
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ RUN sed -Ei 's/^deb/deb [arch=amd64]/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
 RUN dpkg --add-architecture arm64 && dpkg --add-architecture armhf
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get -y install \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev:arm64 \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev:armhf \
         zlib1g-dev:arm64 \
         zlib1g-dev:armhf \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0015715fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+set(VCPKG_POLICY_EMPTY_PACKAGE enabled)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..884192320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-20.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "protobuf-c",
+  "version": "0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/Dockerfile b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/Dockerfile
index d34e0beef..a3bfa004d 100644
--- a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/Dockerfile
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/Dockerfile
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ RUN apt-get update \
         doxygen \
         git \
         graphviz \
+        libjson-c-dev \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev \
         libsystemd-dev \
         libtool \
         pkg-config \
@@ -40,6 +42,10 @@ RUN sed -Ei 's/^deb/deb [arch=amd64]/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
 RUN dpkg --add-architecture arm64 && dpkg --add-architecture armhf
 RUN apt-get update \
     && apt-get -y install \
+        libjson-c-dev:arm64 \
+        libjson-c-dev:armhf \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev:arm64 \
+        libprotobuf-c-dev:armhf \
         zlib1g-dev:arm64 \
         zlib1g-dev:armhf \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/portfile.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0015715fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/portfile.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+set(VCPKG_POLICY_EMPTY_PACKAGE enabled)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab78d5925
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/json-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "json-c",
+  "version": "0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0015715fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/portfile.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+set(VCPKG_POLICY_EMPTY_PACKAGE enabled)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..884192320
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/actions/openziti-tunnel-build-action/ubuntu-22.04/vcpkg-overlays/protobuf-c/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "name": "protobuf-c",
+  "version": "0"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/programs/ziti-edge-tunnel/package/CPackGenConfig.cmake b/programs/ziti-edge-tunnel/package/CPackGenConfig.cmake
index 1cf3d4b92..e45cb20c8 100644
--- a/programs/ziti-edge-tunnel/package/CPackGenConfig.cmake
+++ b/programs/ziti-edge-tunnel/package/CPackGenConfig.cmake
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 cmake_policy(SET CMP0057 NEW)
 
 if(CPACK_GENERATOR MATCHES "RPM")
-    set(CPACK_RPM_BUILDREQUIRES "cmake >= ${CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED_VERSION}, systemd-devel, gawk, gcc-c++ >= 4.9, python3, openssl-devel, zlib-devel")
+    set(CPACK_RPM_BUILDREQUIRES "cmake >= ${CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED_VERSION}, systemd-devel, gawk, gcc-c++ >= 4.9, json-c-devel, protobuf-c-devel, python3, openssl-devel, zlib-devel")
     if(CPACK_OS_RELEASE_NAME IN_LIST CPACK_RPM_DISTRIBUTIONS AND CPACK_OS_RELEASE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER "7")
         list(APPEND CPACK_RPM_BUILDREQUIRES "systemd-rpm-macros")
     endif()
     set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_SOURCES OFF)
-    set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_REQUIRES "iproute, gawk, systemd, libatomic, openssl-libs, zlib, polkit")
+    set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_REQUIRES "iproute, gawk, systemd, libatomic, json-c, protobuf-c, openssl-libs, zlib, polkit")
     set(CPACK_RPM_CHANGELOG_FILE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/RPM_CHANGELOG")
     set(CPACK_RPM_FILE_NAME "RPM-DEFAULT")
     set(CPACK_RPM_PACKAGE_DESCRIPTION "The OpenZiti Edge Tunnel is a zero-trust tunneling software client.")
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ if(CPACK_GENERATOR MATCHES "DEB")
     # specify "libssl3 if it exists in the repos, or nothing" as a dependency.
     # systemd package on older distros does not contain `systemd-sysusers`, so include passwd for `useradd`, `groupadd`.
     # login provides `/usr/sbin/nologin`.
-    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "debconf, iproute2, sed, systemd, libatomic1, libssl3 | libssl1.1 | libssl1.0.0, login, passwd, policykit-1, zlib1g")
+    set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_DEPENDS "debconf, iproute2, sed, systemd, libatomic1, libjson-c3 | libjson-c4 | libjson-c5 , libprotobuf-c1, libssl3 | libssl1.1 | libssl1.0.0, login, passwd, policykit-1, zlib1g")
     set(CPACK_DEBIAN_PACKAGE_CONTROL_EXTRA "${CPACK_DEB_CONFFILES};${CPACK_DEB_PRE_INSTALL};${CPACK_DEB_POST_INSTALL};${CPACK_DEB_PRE_UNINSTALL};${CPACK_DEB_POST_UNINSTALL};${CPACK_DEB_TEMPLATES}")
 endif(CPACK_GENERATOR MATCHES "DEB")
diff --git a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/openssl/vcpkg.json b/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/openssl/vcpkg.json
deleted file mode 100644
index a17e15ea1..000000000
--- a/vcpkg-overlays/linux-syslibs/default/openssl/vcpkg.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "openssl",
-  "version": "0"
-}
\ No newline at end of file