diff --git a/pkgs/tools/system/netdata/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/system/netdata/default.nix
index 79f829ffdfb18..0ae4e77910ef2 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/system/netdata/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/system/netdata/default.nix
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 { lib, stdenv, callPackage, fetchFromGitHub, autoreconfHook, pkg-config, makeWrapper
 , CoreFoundation, IOKit, libossp_uuid
 , nixosTests
-, curl, libcap, libuuid, lm_sensors, zlib
+, curl, libcap, libuuid, lm_sensors, zlib, protobuf
 , withCups ? false, cups
 , withDBengine ? true, libuv, lz4, judy
 , withIpmi ? (!stdenv.isDarwin), freeipmi
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   };
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ autoreconfHook pkg-config makeWrapper ];
-  buildInputs = [ curl.dev zlib.dev ]
+  buildInputs = [ curl.dev zlib.dev protobuf ]
     ++ optionals stdenv.isDarwin [ CoreFoundation IOKit libossp_uuid ]
     ++ optionals (!stdenv.isDarwin) [ libcap.dev libuuid.dev ]
     ++ optionals withCups [ cups ]