diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 65621b8..42e209c 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 common --enable_platform_specific_config
 common --incompatible_use_plus_in_repo_names
+common --experimental_google_legacy_api # needed by protobuf
 
 # Shared configuration flags to build and test Bazel on RBE.
 build:remote_shared --remote_instance_name=projects/bazel-untrusted/instances/default_instance