diff --git a/tools/qfcc/source/class.c b/tools/qfcc/source/class.c
index a7f66b2f0..20a71dd68 100644
--- a/tools/qfcc/source/class.c
+++ b/tools/qfcc/source/class.c
@@ -823,6 +823,11 @@ emit_protocol (protocol_t *protocol)
 	def_t      *proto_def;
 	pr_protocol_t *proto;
 
+	proto_def = get_def (type_Protocol.aux_type,
+						   va ("_OBJ_PROTOCOL_%s", protocol->name),
+						   pr.scope, st_none);
+	if (proto_def)
+		return proto_def;
 	proto_def = get_def (type_Protocol.aux_type,
 						   va ("_OBJ_PROTOCOL_%s", protocol->name),
 						   pr.scope, st_static);