diff --git a/BUILD.gn b/BUILD.gn
index 28437fe4ec..6a58719f3c 100644
--- a/BUILD.gn
+++ b/BUILD.gn
@@ -1279,8 +1279,9 @@ group("devtools_closure_compile") {
     "//testing/scripts/common.py",
     "//testing/scripts/run_devtools_check.py",
     "//testing/xvfb.py",
-    "//third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.json",
-    "//v8/src/inspector/js_protocol.json",
+    "//third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.pdl",
+    "//third_party/inspector_protocol/pdl.py",
+    "//v8/src/inspector/js_protocol.pdl",
   ]
 }
 
diff --git a/protocol.json b/protocol.json
index 47697fe171..906fe0d57d 100644
--- a/protocol.json
+++ b/protocol.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 The protocol.json has split into separate files. https://crbug.com/580337
 
 One for the browser, one for a V8 javascript environment:
-    src/third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.json
-    src/v8/src/inspector/js_protocol.json
+    src/third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.pdl
+    src/v8/src/inspector/js_protocol.pdl
 
 Browsable here:
-    https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.json
-    https://chromium.googlesource.com/v8/v8/+/master/src/inspector/js_protocol.json
+    https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/third_party/blink/renderer/core/inspector/browser_protocol.pdl
+    https://chromium.googlesource.com/v8/v8/+/master/src/inspector/js_protocol.pdl
 
 More details on the protocol:
     https://developer.chrome.com/devtools/docs/debugger-protocol
diff --git a/scripts/build/generate_protocol_externs.py b/scripts/build/generate_protocol_externs.py
index 418361ba70..1725fa048b 100755
--- a/scripts/build/generate_protocol_externs.py
+++ b/scripts/build/generate_protocol_externs.py
@@ -28,12 +28,21 @@
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 import os
+import os.path as path
 import re
+import sys
 try:
     import json
 except ImportError:
     import simplejson as json
 
+sys.path.append(
+    path.normpath(
+        path.join(
+            path.dirname(path.abspath(__file__)),
+            os.pardir, os.pardir, os.pardir, os.pardir, os.pardir, 'inspector_protocol')))
+import pdl  # pylint: disable=F0401
+
 type_traits = {
     "any": "*",
     "string": "string",
@@ -97,8 +106,8 @@ def param_name(param):
 
 def load_schema(file, domains):
     input_file = open(file, "r")
-    json_string = input_file.read()
-    parsed_json = json.loads(json_string)
+    parsed_json = pdl.loads(input_file.read(), file)
+    input_file.close()
     domains.extend(parsed_json["domains"])
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/compile_frontend.py b/scripts/compile_frontend.py
index 1c45aa09ed..223b014226 100755
--- a/scripts/compile_frontend.py
+++ b/scripts/compile_frontend.py
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ def main():
         protocol_externs_file = args.protocol_externs_file
     else:
         generate_protocol_externs.generate_protocol_externs(protocol_externs_file,
-                                                            path.join(inspector_path, 'browser_protocol.json'),
-                                                            path.join(v8_inspector_path, 'js_protocol.json'))
+                                                            path.join(inspector_path, 'browser_protocol.pdl'),
+                                                            path.join(v8_inspector_path, 'js_protocol.pdl'))
     loader = modular_build.DescriptorLoader(devtools_frontend_path)
     descriptors = loader.load_applications(application_descriptors)
     modules_by_name = descriptors.modules