diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 2d0c00976077ffb3149fe456a938a280ed198961..4d35fdece312852cdfd1359b2b73b6cdb3a72071 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 [submodule "third_party/protobuf"]
 	path = third_party/protobuf
 	url = https://github.com/google/protobuf.git
-	branch = v3.0.0-beta-1
+	branch = v3.0.0-alpha-4.1
 [submodule "third_party/gflags"]
 	path = third_party/gflags
 	url = https://github.com/gflags/gflags.git
diff --git a/third_party/protobuf b/third_party/protobuf
index 23408684b4d2bf1b25e14314413a14d542c18bc4..8fce8933649ce09c1661ff2b5b7f6eb79badd251 160000
--- a/third_party/protobuf
+++ b/third_party/protobuf
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 23408684b4d2bf1b25e14314413a14d542c18bc4
+Subproject commit 8fce8933649ce09c1661ff2b5b7f6eb79badd251