diff --git a/docker/dockerfile.merlin.ctr b/docker/dockerfile.merlin.ctr
index 10b6bf9da..efa0ccac7 100644
--- a/docker/dockerfile.merlin.ctr
+++ b/docker/dockerfile.merlin.ctr
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade pip; pip install --no-cache-dir "cmake<
                 tensorflow-metadata \
                 "scikit-learn<1.2" \
                 tritonclient[all]
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir protobuf==3.20.3 onnx onnxruntime==1.15.1 pycuda
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir onnx onnxruntime==1.15.1 pycuda
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir onnx_graphsurgeon --index-url https://pypi.ngc.nvidia.com
 
 # Triton Server
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ COPY --chown=1000:1000 --from=triton /opt/tritonserver/backends/tensorflow backe
 # Need to install transformers after tensorflow has been pulled in, so it builds artifacts correctly.
 # upgrade to 4.36.0 due to GHSA-3863-2447-669p
 # Torch Metrics and Lightning (without torch)
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir tensorflow==2.14.0 protobuf==3.20.3 wrapt==1.14.0 transformers==4.36.0 \
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir tensorflow==2.14.0 wrapt==1.14.0 transformers==4.36.0 \
         && pip uninstall tensorflow keras -y \
         && pip install --no-cache-dir --no-deps torch torchmetrics \
         && rm -rf /usr/local/lib/python${PYTHON_VERSION}/dist-packages/torch \