diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6bf2e45..90f483f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@
 # Test binary
 test_openolt
 
+# proto files
+protos/voltha_protos/*.proto
+
 # Test report
 **/test_openolt_report.xml
 
-# Downloaded voltha-protos file
-voltha_protos
-
 # IntelliJ Files
 .idea
diff --git a/protos/Makefile b/protos/Makefile
index 7f2c78c..153eec5 100644
--- a/protos/Makefile
+++ b/protos/Makefile
@@ -50,13 +50,10 @@
 	fi;
 
 get_openolt_proto:
-	if [ ! -e "voltha_protos" ]; then \
-		mkdir voltha_protos; \
-	fi;\
 	if [ ! -e "voltha_protos/openolt.proto" ]; then \
 		wget -O voltha_protos/openolt.proto https://raw.githubusercontent.com/opencord/voltha-protos/$(OPENOLT_PROTO_VER)/protos/voltha_protos/openolt.proto; \
 	fi; \
-	if [ ! -e "tech_profile.proto" ]; then \
+	if [ ! -e "voltha_protos/tech_profile.proto" ]; then \
 		wget -O voltha_protos/tech_profile.proto https://raw.githubusercontent.com/opencord/voltha-protos/$(OPENOLT_PROTO_VER)/protos/voltha_protos/tech_profile.proto; \
 	fi;
 
@@ -69,7 +66,7 @@
 	$(PROTOC) --proto_path=. -I./googleapis -I./ --cpp_out=. $<
 
 clean:
-	rm *.a && cd voltha_protos/ && rm -f *.o *.pb.cc *.pb.h
+	rm -f *.a && cd voltha_protos/ && rm -f *.o *.pb.cc *.pb.h
 
 distclean: clean
 	rm -rf googleapis
diff --git a/protos/voltha_protos/README.md b/protos/voltha_protos/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..84c6460
--- /dev/null
+++ b/protos/voltha_protos/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Place holder directory for openolt.proto and tech_profile.proto
+
+This is a place holder directory for openolt.proto and tech_profile.proto file downloaded
+from https://github.com/opencord/voltha-protos repo.
+