diff --git a/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake b/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
index d43badc1da..2f267adc20 100644
--- a/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external/protobuf.cmake
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 INCLUDE(ExternalProject)
+# Always invoke `FIND_PACKAGE(Protobuf)` for importing function protobuf_generate_cpp
+FIND_PACKAGE(Protobuf QUIET)
+SET(PROTOBUF_FOUND "OFF")
+
 
 # Print and set the protobuf library information,
 # finish this cmake process and exit from this file.
@@ -39,12 +43,19 @@ macro(PROMPT_PROTOBUF_LIB)
     ADD_LIBRARY(protobuf_lite ${protobuf_LIBTYPE} IMPORTED GLOBAL)
     SET_PROPERTY(TARGET protobuf_lite PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${PROTOBUF_LITE_LIBRARY})
 
-    ADD_LIBRARY(protoc ${protobuf_LIBTYPE} IMPORTED GLOBAL)
-    SET_PROPERTY(TARGET protoc PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${PROTOC_LIBRARY})
+    ADD_LIBRARY(libprotoc ${protobuf_LIBTYPE} IMPORTED GLOBAL)
+    SET_PROPERTY(TARGET libprotoc PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${PROTOC_LIBRARY})
+
+    ADD_EXECUTABLE(protoc IMPORTED GLOBAL)
+    SET_PROPERTY(TARGET protoc PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE})
+    # FIND_Protobuf.cmake uses `Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE`.
+    # make `protobuf_generate_cpp` happy.
+    SET(Protobuf_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE})
 
     FOREACH(dep ${protobuf_DEPS})
         ADD_DEPENDENCIES(protobuf ${dep})
         ADD_DEPENDENCIES(protobuf_lite ${dep})
+        ADD_DEPENDENCIES(libprotoc ${dep})
         ADD_DEPENDENCIES(protoc ${dep})
     ENDFOREACH()
 
diff --git a/cmake/generic.cmake b/cmake/generic.cmake
index 11c1f677ae..61353a4a26 100644
--- a/cmake/generic.cmake
+++ b/cmake/generic.cmake
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@
 #   go_library(example SHARED)
 #
 
+# including binary directory for generated headers.
+include_directories(${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
+
 if(NOT APPLE)
     find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
     link_libraries(${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
@@ -331,3 +334,13 @@ function(go_test TARGET_NAME)
   add_custom_target(${TARGET_NAME} ALL DEPENDS ${TARGET_NAME}_timestamp ${go_test_DEPS})
   add_test(${TARGET_NAME} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${TARGET_NAME})
 endfunction(go_test)
+
+function(proto_library TARGET_NAME)
+  set(oneValueArgs "")
+  set(multiValueArgs SRCS)
+  cmake_parse_arguments(proto_library "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
+  set(proto_srcs)
+  set(proto_hdrs)
+  protobuf_generate_cpp(proto_srcs proto_hdrs ${proto_library_SRCS})
+  cc_library(${TARGET_NAME} SRCS ${proto_srcs} DEPS protobuf)
+endfunction()
diff --git a/doc/CMakeLists.txt b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
index 6fa42fd0c7..94dd3457fb 100644
--- a/doc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,10 +27,6 @@ sphinx_add_target(paddle_docs
                   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
                   ${SPHINX_HTML_DIR_EN})
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_docs
-  gen_proto_py)
-
-
 # configured documentation tools and intermediate build results
 set(BINARY_BUILD_DIR_CN "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/cn/_build")
 
@@ -51,6 +47,3 @@ sphinx_add_target(paddle_docs_cn
                   ${SPHINX_CACHE_DIR_CN}
                   ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
                   ${SPHINX_HTML_DIR_CN})
-
-add_dependencies(paddle_docs_cn
-  gen_proto_py)
diff --git a/paddle/api/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/api/CMakeLists.txt
index f2315e31cc..39d8aa075b 100644
--- a/paddle/api/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/api/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ set(API_HEADER
     Internal.h)
 
 add_library(paddle_api STATIC ${API_SOURCES})
-add_dependencies(paddle_api gen_proto_cpp paddle_trainer_lib)
+add_dependencies(paddle_api paddle_proto paddle_trainer_lib)
 
 INCLUDE(${SWIG_USE_FILE})
 INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES(${PROJ_ROOT}/paddle)
diff --git a/paddle/capi/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/capi/CMakeLists.txt
index 206f512563..11022d1754 100644
--- a/paddle/capi/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/capi/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ target_include_directories(paddle_capi PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_capi ${CAPI_SOURCES} ${CAPI_HEADER}
   ${CAPI_PRIVATE_HEADER})
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_capi gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_capi paddle_proto)
 
 
 # combine all paddle static libraries together, into libpaddle_capi_whole.a
diff --git a/paddle/cuda/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
index f9061e96de..73ffa690d9 100755
--- a/paddle/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/cuda/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ else()
                 ${CUDA_CXX_SOURCES})
 endif()
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_cuda ${external_project_dependencies})
+add_dependencies(paddle_cuda paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 
 add_style_check_target(paddle_cuda
                        ${CUDA_SOURCES}
diff --git a/paddle/function/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/function/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e170714cf..1c39ced3c9 100644
--- a/paddle/function/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/function/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ endif()
 
 add_library(paddle_function STATIC ${cpp_files} ${cu_objs})
 add_dependencies(paddle_function ${external_project_dependencies})
-add_dependencies(paddle_function gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_function paddle_proto)
 
 if(WITH_TESTING)
 if(WITH_GPU)
diff --git a/paddle/gserver/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/gserver/CMakeLists.txt
index 93a6a99848..0012636b8f 100644
--- a/paddle/gserver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/gserver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ endif()
 
 add_style_check_target(paddle_gserver ${GSERVER_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_gserver ${GSERVER_HEADER})
-add_dependencies(paddle_gserver gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_gserver paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 if(WITH_TESTING)
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
diff --git a/paddle/math/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/math/CMakeLists.txt
index f5657c4690..9981de6160 100644
--- a/paddle/math/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/math/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ endif()
 add_style_check_target(paddle_math ${MATH_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_math ${MATH_HEADERS})
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_math gen_proto_cpp)  # depends
+add_dependencies(paddle_math paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})  # depends
 if(WITH_TESTING)
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
diff --git a/paddle/optimizer/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/optimizer/CMakeLists.txt
index 4536f62ec7..9996d01d18 100644
--- a/paddle/optimizer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/optimizer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ set(OPITMIZER_SRCS
   )
 
 add_library(paddle_optimizer STATIC ${OPITMIZER_SRCS})
-add_dependencies(paddle_optimizer gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_optimizer paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 
 if(WITH_TESTING)
   add_simple_unittest(serialization_test)
diff --git a/paddle/parameter/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/parameter/CMakeLists.txt
index a35e46997f..d2ae1c16c6 100644
--- a/paddle/parameter/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/parameter/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ add_library(paddle_parameter STATIC
         ${PARAMETERS_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_parameter ${PARAMETERS_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_parameter ${PARAMETERS_HEADERS})
-add_dependencies(paddle_parameter gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_parameter paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 if(WITH_TESTING)
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
diff --git a/paddle/pserver/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/pserver/CMakeLists.txt
index b7f85ea1a6..2245c7d88c 100644
--- a/paddle/pserver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/pserver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ add_library(paddle_network STATIC
 add_style_check_target(paddle_network ${NETWORK_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_network ${NETWORK_HEADERS})
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_network gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_network paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 
 ################### paddle_pserver ######################
 set(PSERVER_SOURCES
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ add_library(paddle_pserver STATIC
 add_style_check_target(paddle_pserver ${PSERVER_SOURCES})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_pserver ${PSERVER_HEADERS})
 
-add_dependencies(paddle_pserver gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_pserver paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 
 set(PSERVER_MAIN_SOURCES
     ParameterServer2Main.cpp)
diff --git a/paddle/testing/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/testing/CMakeLists.txt
index c47add04b0..4245df5ab7 100644
--- a/paddle/testing/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/testing/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 if(WITH_TESTING)
   add_library(paddle_test_main STATIC TestMain.cpp)
-  add_dependencies(paddle_test_main gen_proto_cpp)
+  add_dependencies(paddle_test_main paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
   add_library(paddle_test_util STATIC TestUtil.cpp)
-  add_dependencies(paddle_test_util gen_proto_cpp)
+  add_dependencies(paddle_test_util paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 endif()
diff --git a/paddle/trainer/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/trainer/CMakeLists.txt
index f34d53ae99..6414c39956 100644
--- a/paddle/trainer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/trainer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ add_style_check_target(paddle_trainer_lib
 add_style_check_target(paddle_trainer_lib
     ${TRAINER_HEADERS})
 add_dependencies(paddle_trainer_lib
-    gen_proto_cpp)
+    paddle_proto
+    ${external_project_dependencies})
 
 macro(add_paddle_exe TARGET_NAME)
   add_executable(${TARGET_NAME} ${ARGN})
diff --git a/paddle/utils/CMakeLists.txt b/paddle/utils/CMakeLists.txt
index af59951752..7a4977935e 100644
--- a/paddle/utils/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/paddle/utils/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ add_library(paddle_utils STATIC
 add_style_check_target(paddle_utils ${UTIL_HEADERS})
 add_style_check_target(paddle_utils ${UTIL_SOURCES}
     ${UTIL_ARCH_SOURCES})
-add_dependencies(paddle_utils gen_proto_cpp)
+add_dependencies(paddle_utils paddle_proto ${external_project_dependencies})
 if(WITH_TESTING)
     add_subdirectory(tests)
 endif()
diff --git a/proto/CMakeLists.txt b/proto/CMakeLists.txt
index c942620990..18584cafe7 100644
--- a/proto/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/proto/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,43 +1,23 @@
-set(proto_filenames
-    DataConfig.proto
-    DataFormat.proto
-    ModelConfig.proto
-    ParameterConfig.proto
-    ParameterService.proto
-    TrainerConfig.proto
-    OptimizerConfig.proto
-    ParameterServerConfig.proto)
+file(GLOB proto_filenames . *.proto)
+include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+proto_library(paddle_proto SRCS ${proto_filenames})
 
 set(PROTO_GEN)
 set(PROTO_GEN_PY)
 
 foreach(filename ${proto_filenames})
-    get_filename_component(base_filename ${filename} NAME_WE)
-    set(CUR_PROTO_GEN
-        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${base_filename}.pb.h
-        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${base_filename}.pb.cc)
-    set(PROTO_GEN
-        ${PROTO_GEN}
-        ${CUR_PROTO_GEN})
-    add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${CUR_PROTO_GEN}
-        COMMAND env ${py_env} ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE} 
-                  --cpp_out ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
-          --proto_path ${PROJ_ROOT}/proto ${PROJ_ROOT}/proto/${filename}
-        DEPENDS ${filename} ${external_project_dependencies})
-
+    get_filename_component(ABS_FIL ${filename} ABSOLUTE)
+    get_filename_component(FIL_WE ${filename} NAME_WE)
     set(CUR_PROTO_GEN_PY
-        ${PROJ_ROOT}/paddle/python/paddle/proto/${base_filename}_pb2.py)
+            ${PROJ_ROOT}/paddle/python/paddle/proto/${FIL_WE}_pb2.py)
     set(PROTO_GEN_PY
-        ${CUR_PROTO_GEN_PY}
-        ${PROTO_GEN_PY})
+            ${CUR_PROTO_GEN_PY}
+            ${PROTO_GEN_PY})
     add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${CUR_PROTO_GEN_PY}
-        COMMAND env ${py_env} ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE} --python_out ${PROJ_ROOT}/python/paddle/proto
-    --proto_path ${PROJ_ROOT}/proto ${PROJ_ROOT}/proto/${filename}
-        DEPENDS ${filename} ${external_project_dependencies})
+            COMMAND ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE}
+            ARGS "--python_out=${PROJ_ROOT}/python/paddle/proto"
+            "-I" ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${ABS_FIL}
+            DEPENDS ${ABS_FIL} ${external_project_dependencies})
 endforeach()
 
-add_custom_target(gen_proto_cpp ALL DEPENDS ${PROTO_GEN})
 add_custom_target(gen_proto_py ALL DEPENDS ${PROTO_GEN_PY})
-
-add_library(paddle_proto STATIC ${PROTO_GEN})
-target_include_directories(paddle_proto PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})