diff --git a/plugins/junit/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/StrutsJUnit4TestCase.java b/plugins/junit/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/StrutsJUnit4TestCase.java
index 40df25b6c..9a917e3cf 100644
--- a/plugins/junit/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/StrutsJUnit4TestCase.java
+++ b/plugins/junit/src/main/java/org/apache/struts2/StrutsJUnit4TestCase.java
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ public abstract class StrutsJUnit4TestCase<T> extends XWorkJUnit4TestCase {
         return proxy;
     }
 
-    private void initActionContext(ActionContext actionContext) {
+    protected void initActionContext(ActionContext actionContext) {
         actionContext.setParameters(HttpParameters.create(request.getParameterMap()).build());
         initSession(actionContext);
         // set the action context to the one used by the proxy
         ActionContext.setContext(actionContext);
     }
 
-    private void initSession(ActionContext actionContext) {
+    protected void initSession(ActionContext actionContext) {
         if (actionContext.getSession() == null) {
             actionContext.setSession(new HashMap<String, Object>());
             request.setSession(new MockHttpSession(servletContext));