diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic-v3-cmake.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic-v3-cmake.nix
index 207017b5edd5..dfe2a6d7a965 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic-v3-cmake.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/protobuf/generic-v3-cmake.nix
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ let
       "-Dprotobuf_ABSL_PROVIDER=package"
       ] ++ lib.optionals (!stdenv.targetPlatform.isStatic) [
       "-Dprotobuf_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON"
-    ];
+    ]
+    # Tests fail to build on 32-bit platforms; fixed in 3.22
+    # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/10418
+    ++ lib.optional
+      (stdenv.targetPlatform.is32bit && lib.versionOlder version "3.22")
+      "-Dprotobuf_BUILD_TESTS=OFF";
 
     # unfortunately the shared libraries have yet to been patched by nix, thus tests will fail
     doCheck = false;
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index a7e527e45c50..7b494c671adf 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -22664,13 +22664,7 @@ with pkgs;
 
   prospector = callPackage ../development/tools/prospector { };
 
-  # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/issues/10418
-  # protobuf versions have to match between build-time and run-time
-  # Using "targetPlatform" in the check makes sure that the version of
-  # pkgsCross.armv7l-hf-multiplatform.buildPackages.protobuf matches the
-  # version of pkgsCross.armv7l-hf-multiplatform.protobuf
-  protobuf = if stdenv.targetPlatform.is32bit then protobuf3_20 else
-    protobuf3_21;
+  protobuf = protobuf3_21;
 
   protobuf3_21 = callPackage ../development/libraries/protobuf/3.21.nix { };
   protobuf3_20 = callPackage ../development/libraries/protobuf/3.20.nix { };