diff --git a/llvm/include/llvm/ADT/IntrusiveRefCntPtr.h b/llvm/include/llvm/ADT/IntrusiveRefCntPtr.h
index 7e6585378ec469..173fad3aeafad0 100644
--- a/llvm/include/llvm/ADT/IntrusiveRefCntPtr.h
+++ b/llvm/include/llvm/ADT/IntrusiveRefCntPtr.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace llvm {
 template <class Derived> class RefCountedBase {
   mutable unsigned RefCount = 0;
 
-public:
+protected:
   RefCountedBase() = default;
   RefCountedBase(const RefCountedBase &) {}
   RefCountedBase &operator=(const RefCountedBase &) = delete;