diff --git a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessageLite.java b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessageLite.java
index 48842dbbbe66f..7cfafba2c7971 100644
--- a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessageLite.java
+++ b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/GeneratedMessageLite.java
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ protected final boolean parseUnknownField(int tag, CodedInputStream input) throw
   }
 
   /** Called by subclasses to parse an unknown field. For use by generated code only. */
-  protected void mergeVarintField(int tag, int value) {
+  protected final void mergeVarintField(int tag, int value) {
     ensureUnknownFieldsInitialized();
     unknownFields.mergeVarintField(tag, value);
   }