diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 6f5bda1666e882..cd07a4b45cff84 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -79,6 +79,16 @@ new_local_repository(
     path = "./third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/",
 )
 
+# This is a mock version of bazelbuild/rules_python that contains only
+# @rules_python//python:defs.bzl. It is used by protobuf.
+# TODO(#9029): We could potentially replace this with the real @rules_python.
+new_local_repository(
+    name = "rules_python",
+    path = "./third_party/rules_python",
+    build_file = "//third_party/rules_python:BUILD",
+    workspace_file = "//third_party/rules_python:rules_python.WORKSPACE",
+)
+
 local_repository(
     name = "googleapis",
     path = "./third_party/googleapis/",
diff --git a/third_party/BUILD b/third_party/BUILD
index eec39b37a564c7..159006d7410b25 100644
--- a/third_party/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/BUILD
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ filegroup(
         "//third_party/py/gflags:srcs",
         "//third_party/py/mock:srcs",
         "//third_party/py/six:srcs",
+        "//third_party/rules_python:srcs",
         "//third_party/zlib:srcs",
         "//third_party/nanopb:srcs",
         "//third_party/def_parser:srcs",
diff --git a/third_party/def_parser/BUILD b/third_party/def_parser/BUILD
index 0f281e4da38411..aaa994e328a0b9 100644
--- a/third_party/def_parser/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/def_parser/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Consider replacing label with @rules_python as per #9029 if
+# merging from upstream becomes an issue.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_test")
+
 licenses(["notice"])  # 3-clause BSD
 
 package(
diff --git a/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/BUILD b/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/BUILD
index a24d0c9699024f..38fb985902feaa 100644
--- a/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/BUILD
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ config_setting(
 
 load(":protobuf.bzl", "py_proto_library")
 load(":compiler_config_setting.bzl", "create_compiler_config_setting")
+# Needed for #9006. Hopefully a future upstream version will include this line.
+load("@rules_python//python:defs.bzl", "py_library")
 
 filegroup(
     name = "srcs",
diff --git a/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/protobuf.bzl b/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/protobuf.bzl
index 50f162deeba6a6..24e333a1df75cb 100644
--- a/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/protobuf.bzl
+++ b/third_party/protobuf/3.6.1/protobuf.bzl
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Hopefully a future upstream version will include this line.
+load("@rules_python//python:defs.bzl", "py_library", "py_test")
+
 def _GetPath(ctx, path):
     if ctx.label.workspace_root:
         return ctx.label.workspace_root + "/" + path
@@ -383,7 +386,7 @@ def py_proto_library(
     if default_runtime and not default_runtime in py_libs + deps:
         py_libs = py_libs + [default_runtime]
 
-    native.py_library(
+    py_library(
         name = name,
         srcs = outs + py_extra_srcs,
         deps = py_libs + deps,
@@ -406,7 +409,7 @@ def internal_protobuf_py_tests(
     """
     for m in modules:
         s = "python/google/protobuf/internal/%s.py" % m
-        native.py_test(
+        py_test(
             name = "py_%s" % m,
             srcs = [s],
             main = s,
diff --git a/third_party/protobuf/README.md b/third_party/protobuf/README.md
index a678ab5b02426f..6f47936b15a8fd 100644
--- a/third_party/protobuf/README.md
+++ b/third_party/protobuf/README.md
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ You will create and merge the following Pull Requests.
     copy the `licenses` declaration and the `srcs` filegroup to the corresponding file under
     `third_party/protobuf/<new_proto>`.
 
+1.  Modify the new protobuf to be compatible with #9006 (until upstream protobuf migrates):
+    In `third_party/protobuf/<new_proto>/BUILD` and `third_party/protobuf/<new_proto>/protobuf.bzl`,
+    copy the line that loads from `@rules_python` along with its explanatory comment, from the
+    corresponding files in the old proto directory. (See also #9019.)
+
 1.  In `third_party/protobuf/<new_proto>/BUILD`, in the `srcs` filegroup rule, update the version
     number referring to the newly added `srcs` rules.
 
diff --git a/third_party/py/abseil/BUILD b/third_party/py/abseil/BUILD
index 5bf0a22e4cdd19..48e7c94ed788a5 100644
--- a/third_party/py/abseil/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/py/abseil/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Consider replacing label with @rules_python as per #9029 if
+# merging from upstream becomes an issue.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_library")
+
 licenses(["notice"])
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/third_party/py/concurrent/BUILD b/third_party/py/concurrent/BUILD
index ccc3faa03d3594..ec8614c357a9ff 100644
--- a/third_party/py/concurrent/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/py/concurrent/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Consider replacing label with @rules_python as per #9029 if
+# merging from upstream becomes an issue.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_library")
+
 licenses(["notice"])
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/third_party/py/gflags/BUILD b/third_party/py/gflags/BUILD
index 35f06748e7286d..9dcc2cff27c083 100644
--- a/third_party/py/gflags/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/py/gflags/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Consider replacing label with @rules_python as per #9029 if
+# merging from upstream becomes an issue.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_library")
+
 licenses(["notice"])
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/third_party/py/mock/BUILD b/third_party/py/mock/BUILD
index 2d4961de9e696d..3c80a0245fca01 100644
--- a/third_party/py/mock/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/py/mock/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Needed for #9006. Consider replacing label with @rules_python as per #9029 if
+# merging from upstream becomes an issue.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_library")
+
 licenses(["notice"])
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/third_party/py/six/BUILD b/third_party/py/six/BUILD
index fa060cb6aed82c..38833ec2e07cea 100644
--- a/third_party/py/six/BUILD
+++ b/third_party/py/six/BUILD
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+# Needed for #9006. We can't easily replace this label with a @rules_python
+# label (#9029) because this file is used in both @io_bazel and @bazel_tools,
+# the latter of which can't reference other repos.
+load("//tools/python:private/defs.bzl", "py_library")
+
 licenses(["notice"])
 
 filegroup(
diff --git a/third_party/rules_python/BUILD b/third_party/rules_python/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..e0282ba39e03c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/rules_python/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+filegroup(
+    name = "srcs",
+    srcs = glob(["**"]) + ["//third_party/rules_python/python:srcs"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/third_party/rules_python/python/BUILD b/third_party/rules_python/python/BUILD
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..70ff958ed43110
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/rules_python/python/BUILD
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+filegroup(
+    name = "srcs",
+    srcs = glob(["**"]),
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/third_party/rules_python/python/defs.bzl b/third_party/rules_python/python/defs.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..4468fea858739e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/rules_python/python/defs.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Copyright 2019 The Bazel Authors. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""This file is selectively copied from //tools/python:private/defs.bzl."""
+
+_MIGRATION_TAG = "__PYTHON_RULES_MIGRATION_DO_NOT_USE_WILL_BREAK__"
+
+def _add_tags(attrs):
+    if "tags" in attrs and attrs["tags"] != None:
+        attrs["tags"] += [_MIGRATION_TAG]
+    else:
+        attrs["tags"] = [_MIGRATION_TAG]
+    return attrs
+
+def py_library(**attrs):
+    native.py_library(**_add_tags(attrs))
+
+def py_binary(**attrs):
+    native.py_binary(**_add_tags(attrs))
+
+def py_test(**attrs):
+    native.py_test(**_add_tags(attrs))
+
+def py_runtime(**attrs):
+    native.py_runtime(**_add_tags(attrs))
diff --git a/third_party/rules_python/rules_python.WORKSPACE b/third_party/rules_python/rules_python.WORKSPACE
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..96961d95e29118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/third_party/rules_python/rules_python.WORKSPACE
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# A stub version of bazelbuild/rules_python that contains only the defs.bzl
+# file, which is needed to access native Python rules under
+# --incompatible_load_python_rules_from_bzl (#9006).
+#
+# TODO(#9029): Maybe replace this with the real thing.
+
+workspace(name = "rules_python")