diff --git a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
index 8a4da1e2..7151ce2f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nightly.yml
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       - name: Generate environment variables
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
index ef37014c..47769bfb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pull-request.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       # Append PR number to .version
       - name: Append PR number to version
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       # Append PR number to .version
       - name: Append PR number to version
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       # Append PR number to .version
       - name: Append PR number to version
diff --git a/.github/workflows/push-master.yml b/.github/workflows/push-master.yml
index 1edd8594..8f1b44c3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/push-master.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/push-master.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       # Build process
       - name: Build packages
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       # Install dependencies
       - name: Install dependencies
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          submodules: true
+          submodules: recursive
 
       - name: Install Qt
         uses: jurplel/install-qt-action@v3
diff --git a/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt b/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
index 858454ee..c13e96cc 100644
--- a/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dependencies/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -160,6 +160,10 @@ if(ENABLE_PROTOBUF_SERVER)
 
 		# define the protobuf library
 		set(PROTOBUF_LIBRARIES protobuf::libprotobuf)
+		
+		# defines for 3rd party sub-modules
+		set(ABSL_PROPAGATE_CXX_STD ON CACHE BOOL "Build abseil-cpp with C++ version requirements propagated")
+		
 	endif()
 
 	# redefine at parent scope
diff --git a/dependencies/external/protobuf b/dependencies/external/protobuf
index f0dc78d7..2c5fa078 160000
--- a/dependencies/external/protobuf
+++ b/dependencies/external/protobuf
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit f0dc78d7e6e331b8c6bb2d5283e06aa26883ca7c
+Subproject commit 2c5fa078d8e86e5f4bd34e6f4c9ea9e8d7d4d44a