diff --git a/mbuild/tests/test_protobuf.py b/mbuild/tests/test_protobuf.py
index 42dfb6421..d0105bace 100644
--- a/mbuild/tests/test_protobuf.py
+++ b/mbuild/tests/test_protobuf.py
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
+import pytest
 from mbuild.tests.base_test import BaseTest
 from mbuild.formats.protobuf import write_pb2, read_pb2
+from mbuild.utils.io import has_protobuf
 
 class TestPB2(BaseTest):
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(not has_protobuf, reason="Protobuf package not installed")
     def test_loop(self, ethane):
         write_pb2(ethane, 'ethane.pb2')
         proto = read_pb2('ethane.pb2')
diff --git a/mbuild/utils/io.py b/mbuild/utils/io.py
index aa6963efd..53fb84c2c 100644
--- a/mbuild/utils/io.py
+++ b/mbuild/utils/io.py
@@ -222,6 +222,14 @@ def import_(module):
 except ImportError:
     has_py3Dmol = False
 
+try:
+    from google import protobuf
+    has_protobuf = True
+    del protobuf
+except ImportError:
+    has_protobuf = False
+
+
 def get_fn(name):
     """Get the full path to one of the reference files shipped for utils.