diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9127cd0d..42ad3892 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ include_directories(src)
 
 add_subdirectory(third_party)
 
+# TODO: Simplify once we can require cmake 3.27 (where CONFIG is default).
+
 # Due to packaging changes we use the combined protobuf/absl packaging if
-# available otherwise we fallback to the older protobuf method. TODO: Simplify
-# once we can require cmake 3.27 (where CONFIG is default).
+# available otherwise we fallback to the older protobuf method.
 find_package(Protobuf QUIET CONFIG)
-set(ABSL_INCLUDED_WITH_PROTOBUF ON)
-if(NOT ${Protobuf_FOUND})
+if(${Protobuf_FOUND})
+  set(ABSL_INCLUDED_WITH_PROTOBUF ON)
+else()
   find_package(Protobuf REQUIRED)
   include_directories(${Protobuf_INCLUDE_DIRS})
   set(ABSL_INCLUDED_WITH_PROTOBUF OFF)
diff --git a/third_party/CMakeLists.txt b/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
index 7b8d8e60..dfb1bc02 100644
--- a/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/third_party/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-if(NOT ${ABSL_INCLUDED_WITH_PROTOBUF})
+if(${ABSL_INCLUDED_WITH_PROTOBUF})
+  # Remove abseil-cpp from the repo when we can require cmake 3.27.
+else()
   set(ABSL_PROPAGATE_CXX_STD ON)
   add_subdirectory(abseil-cpp)
 endif()