diff --git a/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.h b/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.h
index 14fd26b775..d072d18cdf 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ public:
 
     // Subclasses must implement these methods
     virtual OctreeQueryNode* createOctreeQueryNode();
-    virtual Octree* createTree();
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const { return NodeType::EntityServer; }
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const { return PacketTypeEntityQuery; }
     virtual const char* getMyServerName() const { return MODEL_SERVER_NAME; }
@@ -46,6 +45,9 @@ public:
 public slots:
     void pruneDeletedEntities();
 
+protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree();
+
 private:
     EntitySimulation* _entitySimulation;
 };
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeServer.h b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeServer.h
index 27365c1e9d..4999594a98 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeServer.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/octree/OctreeServer.h
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ public:
 
     // Subclasses must implement these methods
     virtual OctreeQueryNode* createOctreeQueryNode() = 0;
-    virtual Octree* createTree() = 0;
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const = 0;
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const = 0;
     virtual const char* getMyServerName() const = 0;
@@ -132,6 +131,7 @@ public slots:
     void readPendingDatagram(const QByteArray& receivedPacket, const HifiSockAddr& senderSockAddr);
 
 protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree() = 0;
     bool readOptionBool(const QString& optionName, const QJsonObject& settingsSectionObject, bool& result);
     bool readOptionInt(const QString& optionName, const QJsonObject& settingsSectionObject, int& result);
     bool readOptionString(const QString& optionName, const QJsonObject& settingsSectionObject, QString& result);
diff --git a/assignment-client/src/voxels/VoxelServer.h b/assignment-client/src/voxels/VoxelServer.h
index f4b6bd3a42..4d21695f33 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/voxels/VoxelServer.h
+++ b/assignment-client/src/voxels/VoxelServer.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ public:
 
     // Subclasses must implement these methods
     virtual OctreeQueryNode* createOctreeQueryNode();
-    virtual Octree* createTree();
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const { return NodeType::VoxelServer; }
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const { return PacketTypeVoxelQuery; }
     virtual const char* getMyServerName() const { return VOXEL_SERVER_NAME; }
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@ public:
     virtual int sendSpecialPacket(const SharedNodePointer& node, OctreeQueryNode* queryNode, int& packetsSent);
 
 protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree();
     virtual void readAdditionalConfiguration(const QJsonObject& settingsSectionObject);
 
 private:
diff --git a/interface/src/entities/EntityTreeRenderer.h b/interface/src/entities/EntityTreeRenderer.h
index 9f06011d30..0042dd495f 100644
--- a/interface/src/entities/EntityTreeRenderer.h
+++ b/interface/src/entities/EntityTreeRenderer.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ public:
     EntityTreeRenderer(bool wantScripts);
     virtual ~EntityTreeRenderer();
 
-    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new EntityTree(true); }
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const { return NodeType::EntityServer; }
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const { return PacketTypeEntityQuery; }
     virtual PacketType getExpectedPacketType() const { return PacketTypeEntityData; }
@@ -108,6 +107,9 @@ public slots:
     void changingEntityID(const EntityItemID& oldEntityID, const EntityItemID& newEntityID);
     void entitySciptChanging(const EntityItemID& entityID);
     
+protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new EntityTree(true); }
+
 private:
     void checkAndCallPreload(const EntityItemID& entityID);
     void checkAndCallUnload(const EntityItemID& entityID);
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTreeHeadlessViewer.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTreeHeadlessViewer.h
index 16839f9951..3989582c2b 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTreeHeadlessViewer.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTreeHeadlessViewer.h
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ public:
     EntityTreeHeadlessViewer();
     virtual ~EntityTreeHeadlessViewer();
 
-    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new EntityTree(true); }
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const { return NodeType::EntityServer; }
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const { return PacketTypeEntityQuery; }
     virtual PacketType getExpectedPacketType() const { return PacketTypeEntityData; }
@@ -42,7 +41,10 @@ public:
     void processEraseMessage(const QByteArray& dataByteArray, const SharedNodePointer& sourceNode);
 
     virtual void init();
+
 protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new EntityTree(true); }
+
     EntitySimulation* _simulation;
 };
 
diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeRenderer.h b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeRenderer.h
index 2999f34fb6..4ee0865243 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/OctreeRenderer.h
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/OctreeRenderer.h
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ public:
     OctreeRenderer();
     virtual ~OctreeRenderer();
 
-    virtual Octree* createTree() = 0;
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const = 0;
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const = 0;
     virtual PacketType getExpectedPacketType() const = 0;
@@ -81,6 +80,8 @@ public:
     int getOpaqueMeshPartsRendered() const { return _opaqueMeshPartsRendered; }
 
 protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree() = 0;
+
     Octree* _tree;
     bool _managedTree;
     ViewFrustum* _viewFrustum;
diff --git a/libraries/voxels/src/VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer.h b/libraries/voxels/src/VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer.h
index 4acd5aa52d..291ad7f813 100644
--- a/libraries/voxels/src/VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer.h
+++ b/libraries/voxels/src/VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer.h
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ public:
     VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer();
     virtual ~VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer();
 
-    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new VoxelTree(true); }
     virtual char getMyNodeType() const { return NodeType::VoxelServer; }
     virtual PacketType getMyQueryMessageType() const { return PacketTypeVoxelQuery; }
     virtual PacketType getExpectedPacketType() const { return PacketTypeVoxelData; }
@@ -35,6 +34,9 @@ public:
     VoxelTree* getTree() { return (VoxelTree*)_tree; }
 
     virtual void init();
+
+protected:
+    virtual Octree* createTree() { return new VoxelTree(true); }
 };
 
 #endif // hifi_VoxelTreeHeadlessViewer_h