diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a63e5e6d9..ec15d4408 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1902,21 +1902,19 @@ poe test -s --log-cli-level=DEBUG -k test_sync_activity_thread_cancel_caught
 
 #### Proto Generation and Testing
 
-To allow for backwards compatibility, protobuf code is generated on the 3.x series of the protobuf library. To generate
-protobuf code, you must be on Python <= 3.10, and then run `uv add "protobuf<4"` + `uv sync --all-extras`. Then the
-protobuf files can be generated via `poe gen-protos`. Tests can be run for protobuf version 3 by setting the
-`TEMPORAL_TEST_PROTO3` env var to `1` prior to running tests.
-
-Do not commit `uv.lock` or `pyproject.toml` changes. To go back from this downgrade, restore both of those files and run
-`uv sync --all-extras`. Make sure you `poe format` the results.
-
-For a less system-intrusive approach, you can:
-```shell
-docker build -f scripts/_proto/Dockerfile .
-docker run --rm -v "${PWD}/temporalio/api:/api_new" -v "${PWD}/temporalio/bridge/proto:/bridge_new" <just built image sha>
-poe format
+If you have docker available, run
+
+```
+poe gen-protos-docker
 ```
 
+Alternatively: to generate protobuf code, you must be on Python <= 3.10, and then run `uv add
+"protobuf<4"` + `uv sync --all-extras`. Then the protobuf files can be generated via `poe
+gen-protos` followed by `poe format`. Do not commit `uv.lock` or `pyproject.toml` changes. To go
+back from this downgrade, restore both of those files and run `uv sync --all-extras`. Tests can be
+run for protobuf version 3 by setting the `TEMPORAL_TEST_PROTO3` env var to `1` prior to running
+tests.
+
 ### Style
 
 * Mostly [Google Style Guide](https://google.github.io/styleguide/pyguide.html). Notable exceptions:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 3e2321fd0..77f31e2ad 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -64,8 +64,9 @@ dev = [
 build-develop = "uv run maturin develop --uv"
 build-develop-with-release = { cmd = "uv run maturin develop --release --uv" }
 format = [{cmd = "uv run ruff check --select I --fix"}, {cmd = "uv run ruff format"}, ]
-gen-docs = "uv run python scripts/gen_docs.py"
-gen-protos = "uv run python scripts/gen_protos.py"
+gen-docs = "uv run scripts/gen_docs.py"
+gen-protos = "uv run scripts/gen_protos.py"
+gen-protos-docker = "uv run scripts/gen_protos_docker.py"
 lint = [
   {cmd = "uv run ruff check --select I"},
   {cmd = "uv run ruff format --check"},
diff --git a/scripts/_proto/Dockerfile b/scripts/_proto/Dockerfile
index 47f3c60dc..7617cbe1b 100644
--- a/scripts/_proto/Dockerfile
+++ b/scripts/_proto/Dockerfile
@@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ RUN uv add "protobuf<4"
 RUN uv sync --all-extras
 RUN poe gen-protos
 
-CMD cp -r ./temporalio/api/* /api_new && cp -r ./temporalio/bridge/proto/* /bridge_new
+CMD ["sh", "-c", "cp -r ./temporalio/api/* /api_new && cp -r ./temporalio/bridge/proto/* /bridge_new"]
diff --git a/scripts/gen_protos_docker.py b/scripts/gen_protos_docker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7014022bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/gen_protos_docker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import os
+import subprocess
+
+# Build the Docker image and capture its ID
+result = subprocess.run(
+    ["docker", "build", "-q", "-f", "scripts/_proto/Dockerfile", "."],
+    capture_output=True,
+    text=True,
+    check=True,
+)
+image_id = result.stdout.strip()
+
+subprocess.run(
+    [
+        "docker",
+        "run",
+        "--rm",
+        "-v",
+        f"{os.getcwd()}/temporalio/api:/api_new",
+        "-v",
+        f"{os.getcwd()}/temporalio/bridge/proto:/bridge_new",
+        image_id,
+    ],
+    check=True,
+)
+subprocess.run(["uv", "run", "poe", "format"], check=True)