diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 077d69a9..d4d61811 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@ def _find_protoc() -> str | None:
     def _get_protoc_version(protoc: str) -> tuple[int, int, int]:
         protoc_version_string = str(subprocess.check_output([protoc, "--version"]))
         version_search = re.search(
-            r"((?P<major>(0|[1-9]\d*))\.(?P<minor>(0|[1-9]\d*))\.(?P<patch>(0|[1-9]\d*)))",
+            r"((?P<major>(0|[1-9]\d*))\.(?P<minor>(0|[1-9]\d*))(\.(?P<patch>(0|[1-9]\d*)))?)",
             protoc_version_string,
         )
 
-        return tuple(int(version_search.group(g)) for g in ("major", "minor", "patch"))  # type: ignore
+        return tuple(int(version_search.group(g)) if version_search.group(g) is not None else 0 for g in ("major", "minor", "patch"))  # type: ignore
 
     _executable: str | None
     _version: tuple[int, int, int] | None