diff --git a/gnu/packages/rpc.scm b/gnu/packages/rpc.scm
index 6ab369bf97..a88c79f8b9 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/rpc.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/rpc.scm
@@ -171,10 +171,12 @@ (define-public grpc-1.16.1
                               "src/core/lib/iomgr/ev_epollex_linux.cc")
                  (("gettid\\(")
                   "sys_gettid("))))))))
+    (inputs
+     (modify-inputs (package-inputs grpc)
+       (replace "abseil-cpp" abseil-cpp-20200923.3)))
     (native-inputs
      (modify-inputs (package-native-inputs grpc)
-       (delete "abseil-cpp" "protobuf")
-       (prepend abseil-cpp-20200923.3 protobuf-3.6)))))
+       (replace "protobuf" protobuf-3.6)))))
 
 (define-public python-grpc-stubs
   (package