diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index 18d6ceb836..c0d3fc4d12 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -695,6 +695,9 @@ Release 2.4.0 - UNRELEASED
 
     HDFS-5704. Change OP_UPDATE_BLOCKS with a new OP_ADD_BLOCK. (jing9)
 
+    HDFS-5434. Change block placement policy constructors from package private
+    to protected. (Buddy Taylor via Arpit Agarwal)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
     HDFS-5239.  Allow FSNamesystem lock fairness to be configurable (daryn)
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyDefault.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyDefault.java
index fa1bfe645d..ff1f0f4c64 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyDefault.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyDefault.java
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ protected StringBuilder initialValue() {
    */
   protected int tolerateHeartbeatMultiplier;
 
-  BlockPlacementPolicyDefault(Configuration conf,  FSClusterStats stats,
+  protected BlockPlacementPolicyDefault(Configuration conf, FSClusterStats stats,
                            NetworkTopology clusterMap) {
     initialize(conf, stats, clusterMap);
   }
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup.java
index f31236b675..ef15a75ecf 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/blockmanagement/BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup.java
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@
  */
 public class BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup extends BlockPlacementPolicyDefault {
 
-  BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup(Configuration conf,  FSClusterStats stats,
+  protected BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup(Configuration conf,  FSClusterStats stats,
       NetworkTopology clusterMap) {
     initialize(conf, stats, clusterMap);
   }
 
-  BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup() {
+  protected BlockPlacementPolicyWithNodeGroup() {
   }
 
   @Override