Four studies were conducted to assess the effect of a low-protein diet on NaCl intake. Young rats fed either control (20% casein) or low-protein (5% casein) high-carbohydrate (CHO) diet were allowed to drink either water alone or water and 300 mM NaCl. Relative to rats fed control diet, rats fed the low-protein diet progressively increased NaCl intake so that, despite lower food and water intakes, they drank 180% more NaCl during the last 3 days of the 21-day test. Additional studies found that rats fed low-protein diet always maintained positive sodium balance, were neither sodium depleted nor hypovolemic, and had normal plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations. The elevated NaCl intake was not secondary to calcium deficiency and was unaffected by mineral supplementation of the protein-deficient diet. Increases in the diet's CH and/or fat content incidental to decreases in its protein content influenced, but could not completely account for, the effect of protein deficiency on NaCl intake. We conclude that protein deficiency is the primary cause of the elevated NaCl preference produced by being fed a low-protein diet and that a novel physiological mechanism underlies this behavior.