diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/map-generator.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/map-generator.yml
index 90ce8a85e..f0b9afbe8 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/map-generator.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/map-generator.yml
@@ -272,8 +272,12 @@ jobs:
           cmake \
           ninja-build \
           ca-certificates \
+          python3 \
+          python3-pip \
           git \
           wget2
+          rm -f /usr/lib/python*/EXTERNALLY-MANAGED
+          pip3 install "protobuf<4"
       - name: Clone main repo if necessary
         shell: bash
         run: |
diff --git a/tools/unix/maps/generate_subways.sh b/tools/unix/maps/generate_subways.sh
index 3808870fe..aacd2d1b5 100755
--- a/tools/unix/maps/generate_subways.sh
+++ b/tools/unix/maps/generate_subways.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ export DUMP="$SUBWAYS_VALIDATOR_PATH"
 export GEOJSON="$SUBWAYS_VALIDATOR_PATH"
 export DUMP_CITY_LIST="$SUBWAYS_VALIDATOR_PATH/cities.txt"
 
-"$SUBWAYS_REPO_PATH/scripts/process_subways.sh" 2>&1 | tee "$SUBWAYS_LOG"
+# cd to subways repo so relative paths work in the script
+pushd "$SUBWAYS_REPO_PATH"
+./scripts/process_subways.sh 2>&1 | tee "$SUBWAYS_LOG"
+popd
 
 # Make render.html available for map visualization on the web
 cp -r "$SUBWAYS_REPO_PATH"/render/* "$SUBWAYS_VALIDATOR_PATH/"