diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/EntityGenerator.php b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/EntityGenerator.php
index c57ee4f27..6a18610ee 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/EntityGenerator.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/ORM/Tools/EntityGenerator.php
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@ use Doctrine\ORM\Mapping\ClassMetadataInfo,
  */
 class EntityGenerator
 {
+    /**
+     * Specifies class fields should be protected
+     */
+    const FIELD_VISIBLE_PROTECTED = 'protected';
+    /**
+     * Specifies class fields should be private
+     */
+    const FIELD_VISIBLE_PRIVATE = 'private';
+
     /**
      * @var bool
      */
@@ -86,6 +95,8 @@ class EntityGenerator
     /** Whether or not to re-generate entity class if it exists already */
     private $_regenerateEntityIfExists = false;
 
+    private $_fieldVisibility = 'private';
+
     private static $_classTemplate =
 '<?php
 
@@ -299,6 +310,21 @@ public function <methodName>()
         $this->_generateAnnotations = $bool;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Set the class fields visibility for the entity (can either be private or protected)
+     *
+     * @param bool $bool
+     * @return void
+     */
+    public function setFieldVisibility($visibility)
+    {
+        if ($visibility !== self::FIELD_VISIBLE_PRIVATE && $visibility !== self::FIELD_VISIBLE_PROTECTED) {
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException('Invalid provided visibilty (only private and protected are allowed): ' . $visibility);
+        }
+
+        $this->_fieldVisibility = $visibility;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Set an annotation prefix.
      *
@@ -724,7 +750,7 @@ public function <methodName>()
             }
 
             $lines[] = $this->_generateAssociationMappingPropertyDocBlock($associationMapping, $metadata);
-            $lines[] = $this->_spaces . 'private $' . $associationMapping['fieldName']
+            $lines[] = $this->_spaces . $this->_fieldVisibility . ' $' . $associationMapping['fieldName']
                      . ($associationMapping['type'] == 'manyToMany' ? ' = array()' : null) . ";\n";
         }
 
@@ -742,7 +768,7 @@ public function <methodName>()
             }
 
             $lines[] = $this->_generateFieldMappingPropertyDocBlock($fieldMapping, $metadata);
-            $lines[] = $this->_spaces . 'private $' . $fieldMapping['fieldName']
+            $lines[] = $this->_spaces . $this->_fieldVisibility . ' $' . $fieldMapping['fieldName']
                      . (isset($fieldMapping['default']) ? ' = ' . var_export($fieldMapping['default'], true) : null) . ";\n";
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/EntityGeneratorTest.php b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/EntityGeneratorTest.php
index f6fdf19c5..9a239d1f4 100644
--- a/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/EntityGeneratorTest.php
+++ b/tests/Doctrine/Tests/ORM/Tools/EntityGeneratorTest.php
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class EntityGeneratorTest extends \Doctrine\Tests\OrmTestCase
         $this->_generator->setGenerateStubMethods(true);
         $this->_generator->setRegenerateEntityIfExists(false);
         $this->_generator->setUpdateEntityIfExists(true);
+        $this->_generator->setFieldVisibility(EntityGenerator::FIELD_VISIBLE_PROTECTED);
     }
 
     public function tearDown()
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ class EntityGeneratorTest extends \Doctrine\Tests\OrmTestCase
         $this->assertTrue($reflClass->hasProperty('id'), "Regenerating keeps property 'id'.");
 
         $this->assertTrue($reflClass->hasProperty('test'), "Check for property test failed.");
-        $this->assertTrue($reflClass->getProperty('test')->isPrivate(), "Check for private property test failed.");
+        $this->assertTrue($reflClass->getProperty('test')->isProtected(), "Check for protected property test failed.");
         $this->assertTrue($reflClass->hasMethod('getTest'), "Check for method 'getTest' failed.");
         $this->assertTrue($reflClass->getMethod('getTest')->isPublic(), "Check for public visibility of method 'getTest' failed.");
         $this->assertTrue($reflClass->hasMethod('setTest'), "Check for method 'getTest' failed.");