diff --git a/ledger-tool/src/main.rs b/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
index 78077638a2..016be46149 100644
--- a/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
+++ b/ledger-tool/src/main.rs
@@ -2105,7 +2105,7 @@ fn main() {
                         println!("  - owner: '{}'", account.owner());
                         println!("  - executable: {}", account.executable());
                         println!("  - slot: {}", slot);
-                        println!("  - rent_epoch: {}", account.rent_epoch);
+                        println!("  - rent_epoch: {}", account.rent_epoch());
                         if !exclude_account_data {
                             println!("  - data: '{}'", bs58::encode(account.data()).into_string());
                         }
diff --git a/runtime/src/accounts.rs b/runtime/src/accounts.rs
index bf50c38222..fc5ad69582 100644
--- a/runtime/src/accounts.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/accounts.rs
@@ -976,7 +976,7 @@ impl Accounts {
                             _ => panic!("unexpected nonce_rollback condition"),
                         }
                     }
-                    if account.rent_epoch == INITIAL_RENT_EPOCH {
+                    if account.rent_epoch() == INITIAL_RENT_EPOCH {
                         loaded_transaction.rent +=
                             rent_collector.collect_from_created_account(&key, account);
                     }
diff --git a/runtime/src/message_processor.rs b/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
index 8d36c3f272..c18bdfe215 100644
--- a/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/message_processor.rs
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ impl PreAccount {
         }
 
         // No one modifies rent_epoch (yet).
-        let rent_epoch_changed = pre.rent_epoch != post.rent_epoch;
+        let rent_epoch_changed = pre.rent_epoch() != post.rent_epoch();
         if rent_epoch_changed {
             return Err(InstructionError::RentEpochModified);
         }
diff --git a/runtime/src/rent_collector.rs b/runtime/src/rent_collector.rs
index 38e9788dc4..641260bfbd 100644
--- a/runtime/src/rent_collector.rs
+++ b/runtime/src/rent_collector.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! calculate and collect rent from Accounts
 use solana_sdk::{
-    account::{AccountSharedData, ReadableAccount},
+    account::{AccountSharedData, ReadableAccount, WritableAccount},
     clock::Epoch,
     epoch_schedule::EpochSchedule,
     genesis_config::GenesisConfig,
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ impl RentCollector {
         account: &mut AccountSharedData,
     ) -> u64 {
         if account.executable()
-            || account.rent_epoch > self.epoch
+            || account.rent_epoch() > self.epoch
             || sysvar::check_id(account.owner())
             || *address == incinerator::id()
         {
             0
         } else {
-            let slots_elapsed: u64 = (account.rent_epoch..=self.epoch)
+            let slots_elapsed: u64 = (account.rent_epoch()..=self.epoch)
                 .map(|epoch| self.epoch_schedule.get_slots_in_epoch(epoch + 1))
                 .sum();
 
@@ -85,15 +85,17 @@ impl RentCollector {
 
             if exempt || rent_due != 0 {
                 if account.lamports() > rent_due {
-                    account.rent_epoch = self.epoch
-                        + if exempt {
-                            // Rent isn't collected for the next epoch
-                            // Make sure to check exempt status later in current epoch again
-                            0
-                        } else {
-                            // Rent is collected for next epoch
-                            1
-                        };
+                    account.set_rent_epoch(
+                        self.epoch
+                            + if exempt {
+                                // Rent isn't collected for the next epoch
+                                // Make sure to check exempt status later in current epoch again
+                                0
+                            } else {
+                                // Rent is collected for next epoch
+                                1
+                            },
+                    );
                     account.lamports -= rent_due;
                     rent_due
                 } else {
@@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ impl RentCollector {
         account: &mut AccountSharedData,
     ) -> u64 {
         // initialize rent_epoch as created at this epoch
-        account.rent_epoch = self.epoch;
+        account.set_rent_epoch(self.epoch);
         self.collect_from_existing_account(address, account)
     }
 }
diff --git a/sdk/src/keyed_account.rs b/sdk/src/keyed_account.rs
index 22933eb0af..19cc48eb1a 100644
--- a/sdk/src/keyed_account.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/keyed_account.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ impl<'a> KeyedAccount<'a> {
     }
 
     pub fn rent_epoch(&self) -> Result<Epoch, InstructionError> {
-        Ok(self.try_borrow()?.rent_epoch)
+        Ok(self.try_borrow()?.rent_epoch())
     }
 
     pub fn try_account_ref(&'a self) -> Result<Ref<AccountSharedData>, InstructionError> {