diff --git a/Config.in.legacy b/Config.in.legacy
index 1a756dcd3c..fea7f79ec5 100644
--- a/Config.in.legacy
+++ b/Config.in.legacy
@@ -146,6 +146,13 @@ endif
 
 comment "Legacy options removed in 2026.02"
 
+config BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_PROTOBUF
+	bool "opencv3 protobuf support removed"
+	select BR2_LEGACY
+	help
+	  Support for OpenCV 3 protobuf support has been removed as it
+	  was no longer compatible with recent versions of protobuf.
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_RESIPROCATE_APPS
 	bool "resiprocate apps support option removed"
 	select BR2_LEGACY
diff --git a/package/opencv3/Config.in b/package/opencv3/Config.in
index c4c5d22a54..6c4d4e9c8a 100644
--- a/package/opencv3/Config.in
+++ b/package/opencv3/Config.in
@@ -278,18 +278,6 @@ config BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_PNG
 	help
 	  Use shared libpng from the target system.
 
-config BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_PROTOBUF
-	bool "protobuf support"
-	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_PROTOBUF_ARCH_SUPPORTS # protobuf
-	depends on BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_8 # protobuf
-	select BR2_PACKAGE_PROTOBUF
-	help
-	  Use shared protobuf from the target system.
-
-comment "protobuf support needs a toolchain w/ gcc >= 8"
-	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_PROTOBUF_ARCH_SUPPORTS
-	depends on !BR2_TOOLCHAIN_GCC_AT_LEAST_8
-
 config BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_TIFF
 	bool "tiff support"
 	select BR2_PACKAGE_TIFF
diff --git a/package/opencv3/opencv3.mk b/package/opencv3/opencv3.mk
index 8a862a47b1..3fcf2543a7 100644
--- a/package/opencv3/opencv3.mk
+++ b/package/opencv3/opencv3.mk
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ OPENCV3_CONF_OPTS += \
 	-DWITH_OPENEXR=OFF \
 	-DWITH_OPENNI2=OFF \
 	-DWITH_OPENNI=OFF \
+	-DWITH_PROTOBUF=OFF \
 	-DWITH_UNICAP=OFF \
 	-DWITH_VA=OFF \
 	-DWITH_VA_INTEL=OFF \
@@ -282,17 +283,6 @@ else
 OPENCV3_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_PNG=OFF
 endif
 
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_PROTOBUF),y)
-# protobuf needs c++11 (since 3.6.0)
-OPENCV3_CONF_OPTS += \
-	-DENABLE_CXX11=ON \
-	-DPROTOBUF_UPDATE_FILES=ON \
-	-DWITH_PROTOBUF=ON
-OPENCV3_DEPENDENCIES += protobuf
-else
-OPENCV3_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_PROTOBUF=OFF
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_OPENCV3_WITH_QT5),y)
 OPENCV3_CONF_OPTS += -DWITH_QT=5
 OPENCV3_DEPENDENCIES += qt5base