diff --git a/storm-core/src/jvm/org/apache/storm/trident/tuple/ValuePointer.java b/storm-core/src/jvm/org/apache/storm/trident/tuple/ValuePointer.java
index 8cd4295ba16..814da4a71e0 100644
--- a/storm-core/src/jvm/org/apache/storm/trident/tuple/ValuePointer.java
+++ b/storm-core/src/jvm/org/apache/storm/trident/tuple/ValuePointer.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public static ValuePointer[] buildIndex(Fields fieldsOrder, Map<String, ValuePoi
         return ret;
     }    
     
-    public int delegateIndex;
+    protected int delegateIndex;
     protected int index;
     protected String field;