diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/jaxlib/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/jaxlib/default.nix
index 456c9108593e..12ba67b71244 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/jaxlib/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/jaxlib/default.nix
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 , giflib
 , grpc
 , libjpeg_turbo
+, protobuf
 , python
 , snappy
 , zlib
@@ -49,7 +50,6 @@
 }:
 
 let
-
   inherit (cudaPackages) cudatoolkit cudnn nccl;
 
   pname = "jaxlib";
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ let
       numpy
       openssl
       pkgs.flatbuffers
-      pkgs.protobuf
+      protobuf
       pybind11
       scipy
       six
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ let
       build --action_env=PYENV_ROOT
       build --python_path="${python}/bin/python"
       build --distinct_host_configuration=false
-      build --define PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH="${pkgs.protobuf}/include"
+      build --define PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_PATH="${protobuf}/include"
     '' + lib.optionalString cudaSupport ''
       build --action_env CUDA_TOOLKIT_PATH="${cudatoolkit_joined}"
       build --action_env CUDNN_INSTALL_PATH="${cudnn}"
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@ let
         sed -i 's@-lprotobuf@-l:libprotobuf.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
         sed -i 's@-lprotoc@-l:libprotoc.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
       '' else if stdenv.cc.isClang then ''
-        sed -i 's@-lprotobuf@${pkgs.protobuf}/lib/libprotobuf.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
-        sed -i 's@-lprotoc@${pkgs.protobuf}/lib/libprotoc.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
+        sed -i 's@-lprotobuf@${protobuf}/lib/libprotobuf.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
+        sed -i 's@-lprotoc@${protobuf}/lib/libprotoc.a@' ../output/external/org_tensorflow/third_party/systemlibs/protobuf.BUILD
       '' else throw "Unsupported stdenv.cc: ${stdenv.cc}");
 
       installPhase = ''
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index c25db1beea00..6a4869c10d3d 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -4699,6 +4699,7 @@ in {
     # pin to `cudaPackages_11_6` instead.
     cudaPackages = pkgs.cudaPackages_11_6;
     IOKit = pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk_11_0.IOKit;
+    protobuf = pkgs.protobuf3_20; # jaxlib-build 0.3.15 won't build with protobuf 3.21
   };
 
   jaxlib = self.jaxlib-build;