diff --git a/translator/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/j2objc/util/NameTable.java b/translator/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/j2objc/util/NameTable.java
index 21815c0361..7539802964 100644
--- a/translator/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/j2objc/util/NameTable.java
+++ b/translator/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/j2objc/util/NameTable.java
@@ -720,6 +720,7 @@ && isTranslatableTypeVariable((TypeVariable) type, genericUsageTypeElement)) {
         && enableGenerics
         && !((DeclaredType) type).getTypeArguments().isEmpty()
         && !TypeUtil.isInterface(type)
+        && !typeUtil.isProtoClass(type)
         && !typeUtil.isClassType(TypeUtil.asTypeElement(type))) {
       final String finalQualifiers = qualifiers;
       // Avoid creating generics that merely state <id,id,...>. Obj-C generics only support 'id'