diff --git a/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf-c_1.4.0.bb b/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf-c_1.4.0.bb
index 3932805248..b3423ba84d 100644
--- a/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf-c_1.4.0.bb
+++ b/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf-c_1.4.0.bb
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ S = "${WORKDIR}/git"
 
 inherit autotools pkgconfig
 
+export PROTOC = "${STAGING_BINDIR_NATIVE}/protoc"
+
 # After several fix attempts there is still a race between generating
 # t.test-full.pb.h and compiling cxx_generate_packed_data.c despite
 # BUILT_SOURCES and explicit dependencies.