diff --git a/protobuf-provider/src/main/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchema.java b/protobuf-provider/src/main/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchema.java
index 328572f52c8..4699a94865a 100644
--- a/protobuf-provider/src/main/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchema.java
+++ b/protobuf-provider/src/main/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchema.java
@@ -1132,7 +1132,7 @@ private static Map<String, OptionElement> mergeOptions(List<OptionElement> optio
     // which may not be using the alternative aggregate syntax.
     return options.stream()
         .collect(Collectors.toMap(
-            OptionElement::getName,
+            o -> o.getName().startsWith(".") ? o.getName().substring(1) : o.getName(),
             o -> o,
             ProtobufSchema::merge));
   }
diff --git a/protobuf-provider/src/test/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchemaTest.java b/protobuf-provider/src/test/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchemaTest.java
index adda20d4ed9..d21bf6f2eaf 100644
--- a/protobuf-provider/src/test/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchemaTest.java
+++ b/protobuf-provider/src/test/java/io/confluent/kafka/schemaregistry/protobuf/ProtobufSchemaTest.java
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ public void testComplexCustomOptions() {
         + "option java_multiple_files = true;\n"
         + "option (com.custom.map).subject = 'user-value';\n"
         + "option (com.custom.map).compatibility_mode = FULL;\n"
-        + "option (confluent.file_meta).doc = \"file meta\";\n"
+        + "option (.confluent.file_meta).doc = \"file meta\";\n"
         + "option (confluent.file_meta).params = [\n"
         + "      {\n"
         + "        value: \"my_value\",\n"
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ public void testComplexCustomOptions() {
         + "option java_multiple_files = true;\n"
         + "option (com.custom.map).subject = \"user-value\";\n"
         + "option (com.custom.map).compatibility_mode = FULL;\n"
-        + "option (confluent.file_meta).doc = \"file meta\";\n"
+        + "option (.confluent.file_meta).doc = \"file meta\";\n"
         + "option (confluent.file_meta).params = [{\n"
         + "  value: \"my_value\",\n"
         + "  key: \"my_key\"\n"