diff --git a/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf_3.21.5.bb b/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf_3.21.5.bb
index 83dabc9f8..e36179363 100644
--- a/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf_3.21.5.bb
+++ b/meta-oe/recipes-devtools/protobuf/protobuf_3.21.5.bb
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ EXTRA_OECMAKE += "\
     -Dprotobuf_BUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF \
 "
 
+# Configuration below allows to cross-compile protobuf applications
+# and use native protoc binary in your recipes. In order to use protoc
+# on the target, set protobuf_BUILD_PROTOC_BINARIES to ON in your bbappend
+EXTRA_OECMAKE:append:class-target = " \
+     -Dprotobuf_BUILD_PROTOC_BINARIES=OFF \
+"
+
 TEST_SRC_DIR = "examples"
 LANG_SUPPORT = "cpp ${@bb.utils.contains('PACKAGECONFIG', 'python', 'python', '', d)}"