diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d65bad2..5aaa80f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,11 +24,12 @@ all:
 watch:
 	inotifytest make -j$$(nproc) all
 
+PROTOCOLS_BRANCH=main
 pull-protocols:
 	git subtree pull -P packages/core/protocols \
 		-m 'Merge latest changes from the syndicate-protocols repository' \
 		git@git.syndicate-lang.org:syndicate-lang/syndicate-protocols \
-		main
+		$(PROTOCOLS_BRANCH)
 
 fixcopyright:
 	-fixcopyright.rkt --preset-typescript --file-pattern 'packages/**.ts' GPL-3.0-or-later