diff --git a/MODULE.bazel b/MODULE.bazel
index 1d79e362e1..8a0bcbf645 100644
--- a/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/MODULE.bazel
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ use_repo(
     non_module_deps,
     "com_github_cncf_xds",
     "envoy_api",
+    "com_google_protobuf_javalite",
     "io_grpc_grpc_proto",
 )
 
diff --git a/repositories.bzl b/repositories.bzl
index 1f422d3380..7d180460dd 100644
--- a/repositories.bzl
+++ b/repositories.bzl
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ def grpc_java_repositories(bzlmod = False):
         )
     if not bzlmod and not native.existing_rule("com_google_protobuf"):
         com_google_protobuf()
-    if not bzlmod and not native.existing_rule("com_google_protobuf_javalite"):
+    if not native.existing_rule("com_google_protobuf_javalite"):
         com_google_protobuf_javalite()
     if not bzlmod and not native.existing_rule("com_google_googleapis"):
         http_archive(