# stability-sdk import fails in Colab after a protobuf update
Importing stability-sdk in Colab started failing right after a protobuf release, because the new protobuf broke the DESCRIPTOR import the SDK relied on. Reporter iainmck found the workaround: force `pip install protobuf==3.20.1`, and two other users confirmed it fixed the import for them. Maintainer dmarx thanked the reporter and said the fix was being integrated into the package.
## How to handle it
If the stability-sdk import suddenly breaks in Colab, check whether protobuf just released a new version, since a protobuf update broke the DESCRIPTOR import this package depends on. The confirmed workaround is `pip install protobuf==3.20.1` to pin the last working version. Multiple users verified this restores the import. Later SDK releases integrated the fix, so upgrading stability-sdk itself is the long-term answer.
Source: https://github.com/Stability-AI/stability-sdk/issues/42