diff --git a/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultInputPort.java b/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultInputPort.java
index dc8705c..6957105 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultInputPort.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultInputPort.java
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
  */
 package com.datatorrent.api;
 
+import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
+
 import com.datatorrent.api.Context.PortContext;
 import com.datatorrent.api.Operator.InputPort;
 
@@ -31,8 +33,8 @@
  */
 public abstract class DefaultInputPort<T> implements InputPort<T>, Sink<T>
 {
-  protected int count;
-  protected boolean connected = false;
+  private int count;
+  private boolean connected = false;
 
   /**
    * <p>Constructor for DefaultInputPort.</p>
@@ -109,4 +111,9 @@
    */
   public abstract void process(T tuple);
 
+  @InterfaceStability.Evolving
+  protected int incrementCount()
+  {
+    return ++count;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultOutputPort.java b/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultOutputPort.java
index acd562f..7892fdb 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultOutputPort.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/com/datatorrent/api/DefaultOutputPort.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
   public static final String THREAD_AFFINITY_DISABLE_CHECK = "com.datatorrent.api.DefaultOutputPort.thread.check.disable";
   private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DefaultOutputPort.class);
 
-  protected transient Sink<Object> sink;
+  private transient Sink<Object> sink;
   private transient Thread operatorThread;
 
   /**
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultInputPort.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultInputPort.java
index f17d540..5f965bc 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultInputPort.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultInputPort.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   @Override
   public boolean putControl(ControlTuple payload)
   {
-    count++;
+    incrementCount();
     return processControl(payload);
   }
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultOutputPort.java b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultOutputPort.java
index 9400bbd..ee55284 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultOutputPort.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/apache/apex/api/ControlAwareDefaultOutputPort.java
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 {
   public ControlAwareDefaultOutputPort()
   {
-    sink = ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE;
+    setSink(ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -46,18 +46,18 @@
   public void emitControl(ControlTuple tuple)
   {
     verifyOperatorThread();
-    ((ControlTupleEnabledSink)sink).putControl(tuple);
+    ((ControlTupleEnabledSink)getSink()).putControl(tuple);
   }
 
   public boolean isConnected()
   {
-    return sink != ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE;
+    return getSink() != ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE;
   }
 
   @Override
   public void setSink(Sink<Object> s)
   {
-    this.sink = (s == null ? ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE : s);
+    super.setSink(s == null ? ControlTupleEnabledSink.BLACKHOLE : s);
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 5774bb7..ff91946 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -440,6 +440,9 @@
               <excludes>
                 <exclude>@org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability$Evolving</exclude>
                 <exclude>@org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability$Unstable</exclude>
+                <!-- TODO This needs to be removed once 3.7.0 is released and old version points to 3.7.0 -->
+                <exclude>com.datatorrent.api.DefaultInputPort</exclude>
+                <exclude>com.datatorrent.api.DefaultOutputPort</exclude>
               </excludes>
             </parameter>
           </configuration>