diff --git a/contrib/devtools/Makefile b/contrib/devtools/Makefile
index 8a905a34b..69271030f 100644
--- a/contrib/devtools/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/devtools/Makefile
@@ -51,7 +51,15 @@ STATIK         = $(TOOLS_DESTDIR)/statik
 RUNSIM         = $(TOOLS_DESTDIR)/runsim
 
 tools: tools-stamp
-tools-stamp: proto-tools statik runsim
+tools-stamp: statik runsim
+	# Create dummy file to satisfy dependency and avoid
+	# rebuilding when this Makefile target is hit twice
+	# in a row.
+	touch $@
+
+proto-tools: proto-tools-stamp
+proto-tools-stamp:
+	bash $(mkfile_dir)/proto-tools-installer.sh
 	# Create dummy file to satisfy dependency and avoid
 	# rebuilding when this Makefile target is hit twice
 	# in a row.
@@ -77,73 +85,8 @@ $(RUNSIM):
 	@echo "Installing runsim..."
 	@(cd /tmp && go get github.com/cosmos/tools/cmd/runsim@v1.0.0)
 
-PROTOC_VERSION ?= 3.13.0
-PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION = 1.14.7
-ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
-  PROTOC_ZIP ?= protoc-3.13.0-linux-x86_64.zip
-  PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN ?= protoc-gen-grpc-gateway-v1.14.7-linux-x86_64
-endif
-ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
-  PROTOC_ZIP ?= protoc-3.13.0-osx-x86_64.zip
-  PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN ?= protoc-gen-grpc-gateway-v1.14.7-darwin-x86_64
-endif
-
-proto-tools: buf
-ifeq (, $(shell which protoc))
-	@echo "Installing protoc compiler..."
-	@(cd /tmp; \
-	curl -OL "https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v${PROTOC_VERSION}/${PROTOC_ZIP}"; \
-	unzip -o ${PROTOC_ZIP} -d $(PREFIX) bin/protoc; \
-	unzip -o ${PROTOC_ZIP} -d $(PREFIX) 'include/*'; \
-	rm -f ${PROTOC_ZIP})
-else
-	@echo "protoc already installed; skipping..."
-endif
-
-ifeq (, $(shell which protoc-gen-gocosmos))
-	@echo "Installing protoc-gen-gocosmos..."
-	@go install github.com/regen-network/cosmos-proto/protoc-gen-gocosmos
-else
-	@echo "protoc-gen-gocosmos already installed; skipping..."
-endif
-
-ifeq (, $(shell which protoc-gen-grpc-gateway))
-	@echo "Installing protoc-gen-grpc-gateway..."
-	@curl -o "${BIN}/protoc-gen-grpc-gateway" -L "https://github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/releases/download/v${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION}/${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN}"
-	@chmod +x "${BIN}/protoc-gen-grpc-gateway"
-else
-	@echo "protoc-gen-grpc-gateway already installed; skipping..."
-endif
-
-ifeq (, $(shell which protoc-gen-swagger))
-	@echo "Installing protoc-gen-swagger..."
-	@go install github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/protoc-gen-swagger
-	@npm install -g swagger-combine
-else
-	@echo "protoc-gen-grpc-gateway already installed; skipping..."
-endif
-ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
-	@echo "Installing clang-format..."
-	sudo apt-get install clang-format
-endif
-ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
-	@echo "Installing clang-format..."
-	brew install clang-format
-endif
-
-buf: buf-stamp
-
-buf-stamp:
-	@echo "Installing buf..."
-	@curl -sSL \
-    "https://github.com/bufbuild/buf/releases/download/v${BUF_VERSION}/buf-${UNAME_S}-${UNAME_M}" \
-    -o "${BIN}/buf" && \
-	chmod +x "${BIN}/buf"
-
-	touch $@
-
 tools-clean:
 	rm -f $(STATIK) $(GOLANGCI_LINT) $(RUNSIM)
-	rm -f tools-stamp proto-tools-stamp buf-stamp
+	rm -f proto-tools-stamp tools-stamp
 
 .PHONY: tools-clean statik runsim
diff --git a/contrib/devtools/proto-tools-installer.sh b/contrib/devtools/proto-tools-installer.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..db2bdd64d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/devtools/proto-tools-installer.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -ue
+
+DESTDIR=${DESTDIR:-}
+PREFIX=${PREFIX:-/usr/local}
+UNAME_S="$(uname -s 2>/dev/null)"
+UNAME_M="$(uname -m 2>/dev/null)"
+BUF_VERSION=0.11.0
+PROTOC_VERSION=3.13.0
+PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION=1.14.7
+
+f_abort() {
+  local l_rc=$1
+  shift
+
+  echo $@ >&2
+  exit ${l_rc}
+}
+
+case "${UNAME_S}" in
+Linux)
+  PROTOC_ZIP="protoc-${PROTOC_VERSION}-linux-x86_64.zip"
+  PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN="protoc-gen-grpc-gateway-v${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION}-linux-x86_64"
+  ;;
+Darwin)
+  PROTOC_ZIP="protoc-${PROTOC_VERSION}-osx-x86_64.zip"
+  PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN="protoc-gen-grpc-gateway-v${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION}-darwin-x86_64"
+  ;;
+*)
+  f_abort 1 "Unknown kernel name. Exiting."
+esac
+
+TEMPDIR="$(mktemp -d)"
+
+trap "rm -rvf ${TEMPDIR}" EXIT
+
+f_print_installing_with_padding() {
+  printf "Installing %30s ..." "$1" >&2
+}
+
+f_print_done() {
+  echo -e "\tDONE" >&2
+}
+
+f_ensure_tools() {
+  ! which curl &>/dev/null && f_abort 2 "couldn't find curl, aborting" || true
+}
+
+f_ensure_dirs() {
+  mkdir -p "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin"
+  mkdir -p "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/include"
+}
+
+f_needs_install() {
+  if [ -x $1 ]; then
+    echo -e "\talready installed. Skipping." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  return 0
+}
+
+f_install_protoc() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding proto_c
+  f_needs_install "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/protoc" || return 0
+
+  pushd "${TEMPDIR}" >/dev/null
+  curl -o "${PROTOC_ZIP}" -sSL "https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/releases/download/v${PROTOC_VERSION}/${PROTOC_ZIP}"
+  unzip -q -o ${PROTOC_ZIP} -d ${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX} bin/protoc; \
+  unzip -q -o ${PROTOC_ZIP} -d ${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX} 'include/*'; \
+  rm -f ${PROTOC_ZIP}
+  popd >/dev/null
+  f_print_done
+}
+
+f_install_buf() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding buf
+  f_needs_install "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/buf" || return 0
+
+  curl -sSL "https://github.com/bufbuild/buf/releases/download/v${BUF_VERSION}/buf-${UNAME_S}-${UNAME_M}" -o "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/buf"
+  chmod +x "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/buf"
+  f_print_done
+}
+
+f_install_protoc_gen_gocosmos() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding protoc-gen-gocosmos
+  pushd "${TEMPDIR}" >/dev/null
+  go get github.com/regen-network/cosmos-proto/protoc-gen-gocosmos 2>/dev/null
+  popd >/dev/null
+  f_print_done
+}
+
+f_install_protoc_gen_grpc_gateway() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding protoc-gen-grpc-gateway
+  f_needs_install "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/protoc-gen-grpc-gateway" || return 0
+
+  curl -o "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/protoc-gen-grpc-gateway" -sSL "https://github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/releases/download/v${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_VERSION}/${PROTOC_GRPC_GATEWAY_BIN}"
+  f_print_done
+}
+
+f_install_protoc_gen_swagger() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding protoc-gen-swagger
+  f_needs_install "${DESTDIR}/${PREFIX}/bin/protoc-gen-swagger" || return 0
+
+  if ! which npm &>/dev/null ; then
+    echo -e "\tNPM is not installed. Skipping."
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  pushd "${TEMPDIR}" >/dev/null
+  go get github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/protoc-gen-swagger
+  npm install -g swagger-combine
+  popd >/dev/null
+  f_print_done
+}
+
+f_install_clang_format() {
+  f_print_installing_with_padding clang-format
+
+  if which clang-format &>/dev/null ; then
+    echo -e "\talready installed. Skipping."
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  case "${UNAME_S}" in
+  Linux)
+    if [ -e /etc/debian_version ]; then
+      echo -e "\tRun: sudo apt-get install clang-format" >&2
+    elif [ -e /etc/fedora-release ]; then
+      echo -e "\tRun: sudo dnf install clang" >&2
+    else
+      echo -e "\tRun (as root): subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-7-server-devtools-rpms ; yum install llvm-toolset-7" >&2
+    fi
+    ;;
+  Darwin)
+    echo "\tRun: brew install clang-format" >&2
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "\tunknown operating system. Skipping." >&2
+  esac
+}
+
+f_ensure_tools
+f_ensure_dirs
+f_install_protoc
+f_install_buf
+f_install_protoc_gen_gocosmos
+f_install_protoc_gen_grpc_gateway
+f_install_protoc_gen_swagger
+f_install_clang_format