Various example embodiments for providing protection in communication networks are presented herein. Various example embodiments for providing protection in communication networks may be configured to provide protection in tunnel-over-tunnel topologies supported within communication networks. Various example embodiments for providing protection in tunnel-over-tunnel topologies may be configured to provide dynamic application of protection in tunnel-over-tunnel topologies rather than static application of protection in tunnel-over-tunnel topologies. Various example embodiments for providing protection in tunnel-over-tunnel topologies may be configured to provide dynamic application of protection for a primary path that is a tunnel-over-tunnel path based on a hierarchy of protocols.