diff --git a/checkstyle.xml b/checkstyle.xml
index be51f4c2de78ed32ac26f1feac1496b572c3b928..74a0e0f9ab1071fb451cba5f955a966ad4229d80 100644
--- a/checkstyle.xml
+++ b/checkstyle.xml
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
         <module name="HideUtilityClassConstructor"/>
         <module name="InterfaceIsType"/>
         <module name="VisibilityModifier">
-            <property name="protectedAllowed"/>
+            <property name="protectedAllowed" value="true"/>
         </module>