diff --git a/backends/p4tools/modules/testgen/test/small-step/util.cpp b/backends/p4tools/modules/testgen/test/small-step/util.cpp
index 3670eb819fb..4e08fe26012 100644
--- a/backends/p4tools/modules/testgen/test/small-step/util.cpp
+++ b/backends/p4tools/modules/testgen/test/small-step/util.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
+#include <absl/strings/substitute.h>
+
 #include <string>
 
-#include "absl/strings/substitute.h"
 #include "test/gtest/helpers.h"
 
 #include "backends/p4tools/modules/testgen/test/gtest_utils.h"
diff --git a/bazel/abseil.patch b/bazel/abseil.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2f0bb644c05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bazel/abseil.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+diff --git a/absl/base/BUILD.bazel b/absl/base/BUILD.bazel
+index 0eb735da..5dd4aa67 100644
+--- a/absl/base/BUILD.bazel
++++ b/absl/base/BUILD.bazel
+@@ -137,6 +137,10 @@ cc_library(
+         "policy_checks.h",
+     ],
+     copts = ABSL_DEFAULT_COPTS,
++    # This library is the root of the absl dependency tree.
++    # If we add this `includes` path here, then all absl headers
++    # can be included via angle brackets in external projects.
++    includes = ["../.."],
+     linkopts = ABSL_DEFAULT_LINKOPTS,
+ )
+ 
diff --git a/bazel/p4c_deps.bzl b/bazel/p4c_deps.bzl
index af4acb74e47..a52b59b026c 100644
--- a/bazel/p4c_deps.bzl
+++ b/bazel/p4c_deps.bzl
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ filegroup(
             name = "com_google_absl",
             url = "https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/releases/download/20240116.1/abseil-cpp-20240116.1.tar.gz",
             strip_prefix = "abseil-cpp-20240116.1",
+            # We patch Abseil to support bracketed system includes.
+            # Patch is sourced from https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/pull/1637.
+            # Discussion around Abseil's lack of support for bracketed system includes:
+            # https://github.com/abseil/abseil-cpp/issues/740
+            patches = ["@com_github_p4lang_p4c//:bazel/abseil.patch"],
+            patch_args = ["-p1"],
             sha256 = "3c743204df78366ad2eaf236d6631d83f6bc928d1705dd0000b872e53b73dc6a",
         )
     if not native.existing_rule("com_google_protobuf"):
diff --git a/control-plane/p4RuntimeSymbolTable.cpp b/control-plane/p4RuntimeSymbolTable.cpp
index 555ca6dd305..d63c0befa50 100644
--- a/control-plane/p4RuntimeSymbolTable.cpp
+++ b/control-plane/p4RuntimeSymbolTable.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 #include "p4RuntimeSymbolTable.h"
 
-#include "absl/strings/str_split.h"
+#include <absl/strings/str_split.h>
+
 #include "lib/cstring.h"
 #include "lib/iterator_range.h"
 #include "p4RuntimeArchHandler.h"
diff --git a/frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h b/frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h
index c07e2afeab0..e00ea126e46 100644
--- a/frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h
+++ b/frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifndef COMMON_RESOLVEREFERENCES_REFERENCEMAP_H_
 #define COMMON_RESOLVEREFERENCES_REFERENCEMAP_H_
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_map.h"
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_set.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_map.h>
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_set.h>
+
 #include "frontends/common/programMap.h"
 #include "ir/ir.h"
 #include "ir/visitor.h"
diff --git a/frontends/common/resolveReferences/resolveReferences.h b/frontends/common/resolveReferences/resolveReferences.h
index 55ece6e5127..b1666c04406 100644
--- a/frontends/common/resolveReferences/resolveReferences.h
+++ b/frontends/common/resolveReferences/resolveReferences.h
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifndef COMMON_RESOLVEREFERENCES_RESOLVEREFERENCES_H_
 #define COMMON_RESOLVEREFERENCES_RESOLVEREFERENCES_H_
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_map.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_map.h>
+
 #include "ir/ir.h"
 #include "lib/cstring.h"
 #include "lib/iterator_range.h"
diff --git a/frontends/p4/def_use.h b/frontends/p4/def_use.h
index 8b39e4d9698..27dd475693e 100644
--- a/frontends/p4/def_use.h
+++ b/frontends/p4/def_use.h
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifndef FRONTENDS_P4_DEF_USE_H_
 #define FRONTENDS_P4_DEF_USE_H_
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_set.h"
-#include "absl/container/inlined_vector.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_set.h>
+#include <absl/container/inlined_vector.h>
+
 #include "frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h"
 #include "ir/ir.h"
 #include "lib/alloc_trace.h"
diff --git a/frontends/p4/simplifyDefUse.cpp b/frontends/p4/simplifyDefUse.cpp
index fe914dbac39..5e4313694e2 100644
--- a/frontends/p4/simplifyDefUse.cpp
+++ b/frontends/p4/simplifyDefUse.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #include "simplifyDefUse.h"
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_set.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_set.h>
+
 #include "frontends/p4/def_use.h"
 #include "frontends/p4/methodInstance.h"
 #include "frontends/p4/parserCallGraph.h"
diff --git a/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeConstraints.cpp b/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeConstraints.cpp
index 448466ec220..4ab4e2cd6e6 100644
--- a/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeConstraints.cpp
+++ b/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeConstraints.cpp
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #include "typeConstraints.h"
 
-#include "absl/strings/str_cat.h"
-#include "absl/strings/str_join.h"
-#include "absl/strings/str_split.h"
+#include <absl/strings/str_cat.h>
+#include <absl/strings/str_join.h>
+#include <absl/strings/str_split.h>
+
 #include "typeUnification.h"
 
 namespace P4 {
diff --git a/frontends/p4/typeMap.h b/frontends/p4/typeMap.h
index e0d636b6d30..b434e8c2841 100644
--- a/frontends/p4/typeMap.h
+++ b/frontends/p4/typeMap.h
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 #ifndef FRONTENDS_P4_TYPEMAP_H_
 #define FRONTENDS_P4_TYPEMAP_H_
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_map.h"
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_set.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_map.h>
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_set.h>
+
 #include "frontends/common/programMap.h"
 #include "frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeSubstitution.h"
 
diff --git a/ir/visitor.cpp b/ir/visitor.cpp
index be1b116e691..1a61ca2290e 100644
--- a/ir/visitor.cpp
+++ b/ir/visitor.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <time.h>
 
-#include "absl/container/flat_hash_map.h"
+#include <absl/container/flat_hash_map.h>
+
 #include "ir/ir-generated.h"
 #include "lib/hash.h"
 
diff --git a/test/gtest/complex_bitwise.cpp b/test/gtest/complex_bitwise.cpp
index f0e28102d8d..0743caec6b0 100644
--- a/test/gtest/complex_bitwise.cpp
+++ b/test/gtest/complex_bitwise.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
+#include <absl/strings/substitute.h>
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
 #include <optional>
 
-#include "absl/strings/substitute.h"
 #include "frontends/common/parseInput.h"
 #include "frontends/common/resolveReferences/referenceMap.h"
 #include "frontends/p4/toP4/toP4.h"
diff --git a/test/gtest/diagnostics.cpp b/test/gtest/diagnostics.cpp
index 2febb2e6cf6..6d8202897d7 100644
--- a/test/gtest/diagnostics.cpp
+++ b/test/gtest/diagnostics.cpp
@@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
+#include <absl/strings/substitute.h>
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
 #include <optional>
 
-#include "absl/strings/substitute.h"
 #include "frontends/common/applyOptionsPragmas.h"
 #include "test/gtest/helpers.h"
 
diff --git a/test/gtest/p4runtime.cpp b/test/gtest/p4runtime.cpp
index 381f1199516..7750073de01 100644
--- a/test/gtest/p4runtime.cpp
+++ b/test/gtest/p4runtime.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #pragma GCC diagnostic push
 #pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wunused-parameter"
+#include <absl/strings/substitute.h>
 #include <google/protobuf/util/message_differencer.h>
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
@@ -24,7 +25,6 @@ limitations under the License.
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "absl/strings/substitute.h"
 #include "control-plane/p4/config/v1/p4types.pb.h"
 #include "control-plane/p4/v1/p4runtime.pb.h"
 #include "p4/config/v1/p4info.pb.h"