diff --git a/atlasdb-client-protobufs/build.gradle b/atlasdb-client-protobufs/build.gradle
index a37361b5114..99f52671dd1 100644
--- a/atlasdb-client-protobufs/build.gradle
+++ b/atlasdb-client-protobufs/build.gradle
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@ apply from: "../gradle/shared.gradle"
 
 apply plugin: 'com.google.protobuf'
 
+// The protoc version atlasdb uses does not yet support Apple M1 aarch64
+// (see https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/8062), so use x86_64.
+def protocArch = 'osx-aarch_64'.equals(osdetector.classifier) ? 'osx-x86_64' : osdetector.classifier
 protobuf {
   protoc {
-    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}"
+    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}:${protocArch}"
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/changelog/@unreleased/pr-6005.v2.yml b/changelog/@unreleased/pr-6005.v2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2da530e1d89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/@unreleased/pr-6005.v2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+type: fix
+fix:
+  description: |-
+    Use protoc x86_64 on Apple M1 aarch64
+
+    The old protoc version 3.5.1 atlasdb uses does not yet support Apple M1 aarch64
+    (see https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/8062), so use x86_64 until
+    atlasdb upgrades to protoc 3.18.0+ which add osx-aarch_64.
+  links:
+  - https://github.com/palantir/atlasdb/pull/6005
diff --git a/examples/profile-client-protobufs/build.gradle b/examples/profile-client-protobufs/build.gradle
index 71dc48465bd..e89d32ddfa1 100644
--- a/examples/profile-client-protobufs/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/profile-client-protobufs/build.gradle
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ group = 'com.palantir.atlasdb.examples'
 
 apply plugin: 'com.google.protobuf'
 
+// The protoc version atlasdb uses does not yet support Apple M1 aarch64
+// (see https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/8062), so use x86_64.
+def protocArch = 'osx-aarch_64'.equals(osdetector.classifier) ? 'osx-x86_64' : osdetector.classifier
 protobuf {
   protoc {
-    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}"
+    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}:${protocArch}"
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/leader-election-api-protobufs/build.gradle b/leader-election-api-protobufs/build.gradle
index 6569f0ba4cb..694e8b6d772 100644
--- a/leader-election-api-protobufs/build.gradle
+++ b/leader-election-api-protobufs/build.gradle
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@ apply from: "../gradle/shared.gradle"
 
 apply plugin: 'com.google.protobuf'
 
+// The protoc version atlasdb uses does not yet support Apple M1 aarch64
+// (see https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/8062), so use x86_64.
+def protocArch = 'osx-aarch_64'.equals(osdetector.classifier) ? 'osx-x86_64' : osdetector.classifier
 protobuf {
   protoc {
-    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}"
+    artifact = "com.google.protobuf:protoc:${libVersions.protoc}:${protocArch}"
   }
 }