diff --git a/include/grpc/impl/codegen/port_platform.h b/include/grpc/impl/codegen/port_platform.h
index 2a8c7290e75..387639bf833 100644
--- a/include/grpc/impl/codegen/port_platform.h
+++ b/include/grpc/impl/codegen/port_platform.h
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@
  * Defines GPR_ABSEIL_SYNC to use synchronization features from Abseil
  */
 #ifndef GPR_ABSEIL_SYNC
+#if defined(__APPLE__)
+// This is disabled on Apple platforms because macos/grpc_basictests_c_cpp
+// fails with this. https://github.com/grpc/grpc/issues/23661
+#else
 #define GPR_ABSEIL_SYNC 1
+#endif
 #endif  // GPR_ABSEIL_SYNC
 
 /*