diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 99c4865..58b0aaf 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 // for details. All rights reserved. Use of this source code is governed by a
 // BSD-style license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 import org.gradle.internal.os.OperatingSystem
-import utils.Utils;
+import utils.Utils
 
 apply plugin: 'java'
 apply plugin: 'idea'
 apply plugin: 'jacoco'
+apply plugin: 'com.google.protobuf'
 
 apply from: 'copyAdditionalJctfCommonFiles.gradle'
 
@@ -14,6 +15,15 @@
     mavenCentral()
 }
 
+buildscript {
+    repositories {
+        mavenCentral()
+    }
+    dependencies {
+        classpath 'com.google.protobuf:protobuf-gradle-plugin:0.8.1'
+    }
+}
+
 // Custom source set for example tests and generated tests.
 sourceSets {
     test {
@@ -38,7 +48,12 @@
     }
     examples {
         java {
-            srcDirs = ['src/test/examples']
+            srcDirs = ['src/test/examples', 'build/generated/source/proto/examples/javalite/' ]
+        }
+        proto {
+            srcDirs = [
+                    'src/test/examples',
+            ]
         }
         output.resourcesDir = 'build/classes/examples'
     }
@@ -97,6 +112,31 @@
     jctfTestsCompile 'junit:junit:4.12'
     jctfTestsCompile sourceSets.jctfCommon.output
     examplesAndroidOCompile group: 'org.ow2.asm', name: 'asm', version: '5.1'
+    examplesCompile 'com.google.protobuf:protobuf-lite:3.0.0'
+    examplesRuntime 'com.google.protobuf:protobuf-lite:3.0.0'
+}
+
+protobuf {
+    protoc {
+        // Download from repositories
+        artifact = 'com.google.protobuf:protoc:3.0.0'
+    }
+    plugins {
+        javalite {
+            artifact = 'com.google.protobuf:protoc-gen-javalite:3.0.0'
+        }
+    }
+    generateProtoTasks {
+        all().each { task ->
+            task.builtins {
+                // Disable the java code generator, as we want javalite only.
+                remove java
+            }
+            task.plugins {
+                javalite {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 def osString = OperatingSystem.current().isLinux() ? "linux" :
@@ -464,16 +504,26 @@
 task buildExampleJars {
     dependsOn downloadProguard
     def examplesDir = file("src/test/examples")
+    def protoSourceDir = file("build/generated/source/proto/examples/javalite")
     def proguardScript
     if (OperatingSystem.current().isWindows()) {
         proguardScript = "third_party/proguard/proguard5.2.1/bin/proguard.bat"
     } else {
         proguardScript = "third_party/proguard/proguard5.2.1/bin/proguard.sh"
     }
-    task "compile_examples"(type: JavaCompile) {
-        source = fileTree(dir: examplesDir, include: '**/*.java')
+    task extractExamplesRuntime(type: Sync) {
+        dependsOn configurations.examplesRuntime
+        from configurations.examplesRuntime.collect { zipTree(it) }
+        include "**/*.class"
+        includeEmptyDirs false
+        into "$buildDir/runtime/examples/"
+    }
+
+    task "compile_examples"(type: JavaCompile, dependsOn: "generateExamplesProto") {
+        source examplesDir, protoSourceDir
+        include "**/*.java"
         destinationDir = file("build/test/examples/classes")
-        classpath = sourceSets.main.compileClasspath
+        classpath = sourceSets.examples.compileClasspath
         sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
         targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_1_7
         options.compilerArgs += ["-Xlint:-options"]
@@ -483,6 +533,15 @@
         def exampleOutputDir = file("build/test/examples");
         def jarName = "${name}.jar"
         dependsOn "jar_example_${name}"
+        dependsOn "extractExamplesRuntime"
+        def runtimeDependencies = copySpec { }
+        if (!fileTree(dir: dir, include: '**/*.proto').empty) {
+            // If we have any proto use, we have to include those classes and the runtime.
+            runtimeDependencies = copySpec {
+                from "$buildDir/runtime/examples/"
+                include "com/google/protobuf/**/*.class"
+            }
+        }
         // The "throwing" test verifies debugging/stack info on the post-proguarded output.
         def proguardConfigPath = "${dir}/proguard.cfg"
         if (new File(proguardConfigPath).exists()) {
@@ -490,7 +549,9 @@
                 archiveName = "${name}_pre_proguard.jar"
                 destinationDir = exampleOutputDir
                 from "build/test/examples/classes"
-                include "**/" + name + "/**/*.class"
+                include name + "/**/*.class"
+                with runtimeDependencies
+                includeEmptyDirs false
             }
             def jarPath = files(tasks.getByPath("pre_proguard_example_${name}")).files.first();
             def proguardJarPath = "${exampleOutputDir}/${jarName}"
@@ -519,7 +580,9 @@
                 archiveName = jarName
                 destinationDir = exampleOutputDir
                 from "build/test/examples/classes"
-                include "**/" + name + "/**/*.class"
+                include name + "/**/*.class"
+                with runtimeDependencies
+                includeEmptyDirs false
             }
         }
     }