diff --git a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1/speech_client.ts b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1/speech_client.ts
index 1ffefa59624..5944cab9b6d 100644
--- a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1/speech_client.ts
+++ b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1/speech_client.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
 import * as path from 'path';
 
 import * as protos from '../../protos/protos';
+import jsonProtos = require('../../protos/protos.json');
 /**
  * Client JSON configuration object, loaded from
  * `src/v1/speech_client_config.json`.
@@ -142,22 +143,7 @@ export class SpeechClient {
       clientHeader.push(`${opts.libName}/${opts.libVersion}`);
     }
     // Load the applicable protos.
-    // For Node.js, pass the path to JSON proto file.
-    // For browsers, pass the JSON content.
-
-    const nodejsProtoPath = path.join(
-      __dirname,
-      '..',
-      '..',
-      'protos',
-      'protos.json'
-    );
-    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProto(
-      opts.fallback
-        ? // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-          require('../../protos/protos.json')
-        : nodejsProtoPath
-    );
+    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProtoJSON(jsonProtos);
 
     // Some of the methods on this service provide streaming responses.
     // Provide descriptors for these.
@@ -167,15 +153,11 @@ export class SpeechClient {
       ),
     };
 
+    const protoFilesRoot = this._gaxModule.protobuf.Root.fromJSON(jsonProtos);
+
     // This API contains "long-running operations", which return a
     // an Operation object that allows for tracking of the operation,
     // rather than holding a request open.
-    const protoFilesRoot = opts.fallback
-      ? this._gaxModule.protobuf.Root.fromJSON(
-          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-          require('../../protos/protos.json')
-        )
-      : this._gaxModule.protobuf.loadSync(nodejsProtoPath);
 
     this.operationsClient = this._gaxModule
       .lro({
diff --git a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/adaptation_client.ts b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/adaptation_client.ts
index 4febac9a459..1e7cf174234 100644
--- a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/adaptation_client.ts
+++ b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/adaptation_client.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 import {Transform} from 'stream';
 import {RequestType} from 'google-gax/build/src/apitypes';
 import * as protos from '../../protos/protos';
+import jsonProtos = require('../../protos/protos.json');
 /**
  * Client JSON configuration object, loaded from
  * `src/v1p1beta1/adaptation_client_config.json`.
@@ -145,22 +146,7 @@ export class AdaptationClient {
       clientHeader.push(`${opts.libName}/${opts.libVersion}`);
     }
     // Load the applicable protos.
-    // For Node.js, pass the path to JSON proto file.
-    // For browsers, pass the JSON content.
-
-    const nodejsProtoPath = path.join(
-      __dirname,
-      '..',
-      '..',
-      'protos',
-      'protos.json'
-    );
-    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProto(
-      opts.fallback
-        ? // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-          require('../../protos/protos.json')
-        : nodejsProtoPath
-    );
+    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProtoJSON(jsonProtos);
 
     // This API contains "path templates"; forward-slash-separated
     // identifiers to uniquely identify resources within the API.
diff --git a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/speech_client.ts b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/speech_client.ts
index 5786ad63169..51b4f5f9867 100644
--- a/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/speech_client.ts
+++ b/packages/google-cloud-speech/src/v1p1beta1/speech_client.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
 import * as path from 'path';
 
 import * as protos from '../../protos/protos';
+import jsonProtos = require('../../protos/protos.json');
 /**
  * Client JSON configuration object, loaded from
  * `src/v1p1beta1/speech_client_config.json`.
@@ -143,22 +144,7 @@ export class SpeechClient {
       clientHeader.push(`${opts.libName}/${opts.libVersion}`);
     }
     // Load the applicable protos.
-    // For Node.js, pass the path to JSON proto file.
-    // For browsers, pass the JSON content.
-
-    const nodejsProtoPath = path.join(
-      __dirname,
-      '..',
-      '..',
-      'protos',
-      'protos.json'
-    );
-    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProto(
-      opts.fallback
-        ? // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-          require('../../protos/protos.json')
-        : nodejsProtoPath
-    );
+    this._protos = this._gaxGrpc.loadProtoJSON(jsonProtos);
 
     // This API contains "path templates"; forward-slash-separated
     // identifiers to uniquely identify resources within the API.
@@ -180,15 +166,11 @@ export class SpeechClient {
       ),
     };
 
+    const protoFilesRoot = this._gaxModule.protobuf.Root.fromJSON(jsonProtos);
+
     // This API contains "long-running operations", which return a
     // an Operation object that allows for tracking of the operation,
     // rather than holding a request open.
-    const protoFilesRoot = opts.fallback
-      ? this._gaxModule.protobuf.Root.fromJSON(
-          // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-          require('../../protos/protos.json')
-        )
-      : this._gaxModule.protobuf.loadSync(nodejsProtoPath);
 
     this.operationsClient = this._gaxModule
       .lro({