diff --git a/modules/backend/behaviors/FormController.php b/modules/backend/behaviors/FormController.php
index 589d626fb..ecde8c9ed 100644
--- a/modules/backend/behaviors/FormController.php
+++ b/modules/backend/behaviors/FormController.php
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class FormController extends ControllerBehavior
      * @param array $extras Any extra params to include in the language string variables
      * @return string The translated string.
      */
-    private function getLang($name, $default = null, $extras = [])
+    protected function getLang($name, $default = null, $extras = [])
     {
         $name = $this->getConfig($name, $default);
         $vars = [
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ class FormController extends ControllerBehavior
     // Internals
     //
 
-    private function prepareModelsToSave($model, $saveData)
+    protected function prepareModelsToSave($model, $saveData)
     {
         $this->modelsToSave = [];
         $this->setModelAttributes($model, $saveData);
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ class FormController extends ControllerBehavior
      * @param Model $model Model to save to
      * @return array The collection of models to save.
      */
-    private function setModelAttributes($model, $saveData)
+    protected function setModelAttributes($model, $saveData)
     {
         $this->modelsToSave[] = $model;
 
diff --git a/modules/backend/behaviors/RelationController.php b/modules/backend/behaviors/RelationController.php
index 30109c7ac..f1afd0c65 100644
--- a/modules/backend/behaviors/RelationController.php
+++ b/modules/backend/behaviors/RelationController.php
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ class RelationController extends ControllerBehavior
      * @param string $field The relationship field.
      * @return string The active field name.
      */
-    private function validateField($field = null)
+    protected function validateField($field = null)
     {
         $field = $field ?: post(self::PARAM_FIELD);
 
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ class RelationController extends ControllerBehavior
     /**
      * Returns the existing record IDs for the relation.
      */
-    private function findExistingRelationIds($checkIds = null)
+    protected function findExistingRelationIds($checkIds = null)
     {
         $results = $this->relationObject
             ->getBaseQuery()
diff --git a/modules/backend/behaviors/UserPreferencesModel.php b/modules/backend/behaviors/UserPreferencesModel.php
index bc186a983..c88e61afa 100644
--- a/modules/backend/behaviors/UserPreferencesModel.php
+++ b/modules/backend/behaviors/UserPreferencesModel.php
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class UserPreferencesModel extends SettingsModel
      * Checks if a key is legitimate or should be added to
      * the field value collection
      */
-    private function isKeyAllowed($key)
+    protected function isKeyAllowed($key)
     {
         /*
          * Let the core columns through
diff --git a/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php b/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
index ea5b2172c..a1a9b8147 100644
--- a/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
+++ b/modules/backend/classes/BackendController.php
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class BackendController extends ControllerBase
      * @param string $action Specifies a method name to execute.
      * @return ControllerBase Returns the backend controller object
      */
-    private function findController($controller, $action, $dirPrefix = null)
+    protected function findController($controller, $action, $dirPrefix = null)
     {
         /*
          * Workaround: Composer does not support case insensitivity.
diff --git a/modules/backend/classes/NavigationManager.php b/modules/backend/classes/NavigationManager.php
index 340ef76ce..7c20e26d6 100644
--- a/modules/backend/classes/NavigationManager.php
+++ b/modules/backend/classes/NavigationManager.php
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ class NavigationManager
      * @param array $items A collection of menu items
      * @return array The filtered menu items
      */
-    private function filterItemPermissions($user, array $items)
+    protected function filterItemPermissions($user, array $items)
     {
         $items = array_filter($items, function($item) use ($user) {
             if (!$item->permissions || !count($item->permissions))
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ class NavigationManager
      * @param  object $item
      * @return string
      */
-    private function makeItemKey($owner, $code)
+    protected function makeItemKey($owner, $code)
     {
         return strtoupper($owner).'.'.strtoupper($code);
     }
diff --git a/modules/backend/widgets/Form.php b/modules/backend/widgets/Form.php
index 987e958d5..060c6ffdd 100644
--- a/modules/backend/widgets/Form.php
+++ b/modules/backend/widgets/Form.php
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
     /**
      * @var boolean Determines if field definitions have been created.
      */
-    private $fieldsDefined = false;
+    protected $fieldsDefined = false;
 
     /**
      * @var array Collection of all fields used in this form.
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
     /**
      * Prepares the list data
      */
-    public function prepareVars()
+    protected function prepareVars()
     {
         $this->defineFormFields();
         $this->vars['sessionKey'] = $this->getSessionKey();
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
      * @param  string  $fieldType
      * @return boolean
      */
-    private function isFormWidget($fieldType)
+    protected function isFormWidget($fieldType)
     {
         if ($fieldType === null)
             return false;
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
     /**
      * Makes a widget object from a form field object.
      */
-    public function makeFormWidget($field)
+    protected function makeFormWidget($field)
     {
         if ($field->type != 'widget')
             return null;
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
     /**
      * Looks at the model for defined options.
      */
-    private function getOptionsFromModel($field, $fieldOptions)
+    protected function getOptionsFromModel($field, $fieldOptions)
     {
         /*
          * Advanced usage, supplied options are callable
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ class Form extends WidgetBase
      * @param  string $method
      * @return boolean
      */
-    private function methodExists($object, $method)
+    protected function methodExists($object, $method)
     {
         if (method_exists($object, 'methodExists'))
             return $object->methodExists($method);
diff --git a/modules/backend/widgets/Lists.php b/modules/backend/widgets/Lists.php
index a827669a0..24b1fde3a 100644
--- a/modules/backend/widgets/Lists.php
+++ b/modules/backend/widgets/Lists.php
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class Lists extends WidgetBase
      * @param  string $table
      * @return string
      */
-    private function parseTableName($sql, $table)
+    protected function parseTableName($sql, $table)
     {
         return str_replace('@', $table.'.', $sql);
     }
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ class Lists extends WidgetBase
     /**
      * Validates a column type as a date
      */
-    private function validateDateTimeValue($value, $column)
+    protected function validateDateTimeValue($value, $column)
     {
         if ($value instanceof DateTime)
             $value = Carbon::instance($value);
diff --git a/modules/cms/classes/Controller.php b/modules/cms/classes/Controller.php
index ea0d4970a..cce7b120b 100644
--- a/modules/cms/classes/Controller.php
+++ b/modules/cms/classes/Controller.php
@@ -821,7 +821,7 @@ class Controller extends BaseController
      * Searches the layout and page components by an alias
      * @return ComponentBase The component object, if found
      */
-    private function findComponentByName($name)
+    protected function findComponentByName($name)
     {
         if (isset($this->page->components[$name]))
             return $this->page->components[$name];
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ class Controller extends BaseController
      * Searches the layout and page components by an AJAX handler
      * @return ComponentBase The component object, if found
      */
-    private function findComponentByHandler($handler)
+    protected function findComponentByHandler($handler)
     {
         foreach ($this->page->components as $component) {
             if (method_exists($component, $handler))
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ class Controller extends BaseController
      * Searches the layout and page components by a partial file
      * @return ComponentBase The component object, if found
      */
-    private function findComponentByPartial($partial)
+    protected function findComponentByPartial($partial)
     {
         foreach ($this->page->components as $component) {
             $fileName = ComponentPartial::getFilePath($component, $partial);
diff --git a/modules/cms/controllers/Index.php b/modules/cms/controllers/Index.php
index 578afcf85..9f4e17439 100644
--- a/modules/cms/controllers/Index.php
+++ b/modules/cms/controllers/Index.php
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ class Index extends Controller
      * @param string $markup The markup to convert to unix style endings
      * @return string
      */
-    private function convertLineEndings($markup)
+    protected function convertLineEndings($markup)
     {
         $markup = str_replace("\r\n", "\n", $markup);
         $markup = str_replace("\r", "\n", $markup);
diff --git a/modules/system/behaviors/SettingsModel.php b/modules/system/behaviors/SettingsModel.php
index cbff8d117..f4c7c30a8 100644
--- a/modules/system/behaviors/SettingsModel.php
+++ b/modules/system/behaviors/SettingsModel.php
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class SettingsModel extends ModelBehavior
      * Checks if a key is legitimate or should be added to
      * the field value collection
      */
-    private function isKeyAllowed($key)
+    protected function isKeyAllowed($key)
     {
         /*
          * Let the core columns through
diff --git a/modules/system/classes/ExceptionBase.php b/modules/system/classes/ExceptionBase.php
index 3a91d6b29..15688084a 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/ExceptionBase.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/ExceptionBase.php
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ class ExceptionBase extends Exception
      * @param array $traceInfo The trace information from getTrace() or debug_backtrace().
      * @return array The filtered array containing the trace information.
      */
-    private function filterCallStack($traceInfo)
+    protected function filterCallStack($traceInfo)
     {
         /*
          * Determine if filter should be used at all.
diff --git a/modules/system/classes/SettingsManager.php b/modules/system/classes/SettingsManager.php
index bfd0db461..08089561d 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/SettingsManager.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/SettingsManager.php
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class SettingsManager
      * @param array $items A collection of setting items
      * @return array The filtered settings items
      */
-    private function filterItemPermissions($user, array $items)
+    protected function filterItemPermissions($user, array $items)
     {
         array_filter($items, function($item) use ($user) {
             if (!$item->permissions || !count($item->permissions))
diff --git a/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php b/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
index b1425d14a..04e8dcd2e 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/UpdateManager.php
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ class UpdateManager
      * @param  string $fileCode A unique file code
      * @return string           Full path on the disk
      */
-    private function getFilePath($fileCode)
+    protected function getFilePath($fileCode)
     {
         $name = md5($fileCode) . '.arc';
         return $this->tempDirectory . '/' . $name;
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ class UpdateManager
      * @param  string $uri URI
      * @return string      URL
      */
-    private function createServerUrl($uri)
+    protected function createServerUrl($uri)
     {
         $gateway = Config::get('cms.updateServer', 'http://octobercms.com/api');
         if (substr($gateway, -1) != '/')
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ class UpdateManager
      * @param  array $postData Post data
      * @return void
      */
-    private function applyHttpAttributes($http, $postData)
+    protected function applyHttpAttributes($http, $postData)
     {
         $postData['url'] = base64_encode(URL::to('/'));
 
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ class UpdateManager
      * Create a nonce based on millisecond time
      * @return int
      */
-    private function createNonce()
+    protected function createNonce()
     {
         $mt = explode(' ', microtime());
         return $mt[1] . substr($mt[0], 2, 6);
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ class UpdateManager
      * Create a unique signature for transmission.
      * @return string
      */
-    private function createSignature($data, $secret)
+    protected function createSignature($data, $secret)
     {
         return base64_encode(hash_hmac('sha512', http_build_query($data, '', '&'), base64_decode($secret), true));
     }
diff --git a/modules/system/classes/VersionManager.php b/modules/system/classes/VersionManager.php
index f80f8b1d5..aad27e31a 100644
--- a/modules/system/classes/VersionManager.php
+++ b/modules/system/classes/VersionManager.php
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class VersionManager
     /**
      * Returns the absolute path to a version file for a plugin.
      */
-    private function getVersionFile($code)
+    protected function getVersionFile($code)
     {
         $versionFile = $this->pluginManager->getPluginPath($code) . '/updates/version.yaml';
         return $versionFile;
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class VersionManager
     /**
      * Checks if a plugin has a version file.
      */
-    private function hasVersionFile($code)
+    protected function hasVersionFile($code)
     {
         $versionFile = $this->getVersionFile($code);
         return File::isFile($versionFile);
diff --git a/modules/system/controllers/Settings.php b/modules/system/controllers/Settings.php
index bab2723ef..e9044f495 100644
--- a/modules/system/controllers/Settings.php
+++ b/modules/system/controllers/Settings.php
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class Settings extends Controller
     /**
      * Locates a setting item for a module or plugin
      */
-    private function findSettingItem($author, $plugin, $code)
+    protected function findSettingItem($author, $plugin, $code)
     {
         $manager = SettingsManager::instance();
 
diff --git a/modules/system/controllers/Updates.php b/modules/system/controllers/Updates.php
index e6a4a783d..72f5a233c 100644
--- a/modules/system/controllers/Updates.php
+++ b/modules/system/controllers/Updates.php
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ class Updates extends Controller
         return $this->makePartial('execute');
     }
 
-    private function buildUpdateSteps($core, $plugins, $themes)
+    protected function buildUpdateSteps($core, $plugins, $themes)
     {
         if (!is_array($core))
             $core = [null, null];
diff --git a/modules/system/traits/AssetMaker.php b/modules/system/traits/AssetMaker.php
index 74c0236b8..6e5be3450 100644
--- a/modules/system/traits/AssetMaker.php
+++ b/modules/system/traits/AssetMaker.php
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ trait AssetMaker
      * @param  array $asset Stored asset array
      * @return string
      */
-    private function getAssetEntryBuildPath($asset)
+    protected function getAssetEntryBuildPath($asset)
     {
         $path = $asset['path'];
         if (isset($asset['attributes']['build'])) {
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ trait AssetMaker
      * @param string $asset Specifies a path (URL) to the asset.
      * @return string
      */
-    private function getAssetScheme($asset)
+    protected function getAssetScheme($asset)
     {
         if (preg_match("/(\/\/|http|https)/", $asset))
             return $asset;