diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/DeviceDescriptions.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/DeviceDescriptions.java
index ed3b44e..12eaa36 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/DeviceDescriptions.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/DeviceDescriptions.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 import static org.onosproject.net.DefaultAnnotations.union;
 import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OchPortHelper.ochPortDescription;
+import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OduCltPortHelper.oduCltPortDescription;
 import static org.onosproject.net.optical.device.OmsPortHelper.omsPortDescription;
 
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -140,11 +141,20 @@
                     }
                     break;
                 case ODUCLT:
-                    OduCltPortDescription ocDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) (newDesc.value());
-                    newOne = new Timestamped<>(
-                            new OduCltPortDescription(
-                                    ocDesc, ocDesc.signalType(), merged),
-                            newDesc.timestamp());
+                    if (newDesc.value() instanceof OduCltPortDescription) {
+                        // remove if-block after deprecation is complete
+                        OduCltPortDescription ocDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) (newDesc.value());
+                        newOne = new Timestamped<>(
+                                oduCltPortDescription(ocDesc,
+                                                      ocDesc.signalType(),
+                                                      merged),
+                                newDesc.timestamp());
+                    } else {
+                        // same as default case
+                        newOne = new Timestamped<>(
+                                new DefaultPortDescription(newDesc.value(), merged),
+                                newDesc.timestamp());
+                    }
                     break;
                 case OTU:
                     OtuPortDescription otuDesc = (OtuPortDescription) (newDesc.value());
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
index fad232e..cf9e23c 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/ECDeviceStore.java
@@ -549,8 +549,14 @@
             return new DefaultPort(device, number, isEnabled, description.type(),
                                    description.portSpeed(), annotations);
         case ODUCLT:
-            OduCltPortDescription oduDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) description;
-            return new OduCltPort(device, number, isEnabled, oduDesc.signalType(), annotations);
+            if (description instanceof OduCltPortDescription) {
+                // remove if-block once deprecation is complete
+                OduCltPortDescription oduDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) description;
+                return new OduCltPort(device, number, isEnabled, oduDesc.signalType(), annotations);
+            }
+            // same as default
+            return new DefaultPort(device, number, isEnabled, description.type(),
+                                   description.portSpeed(), annotations);
         default:
             return new DefaultPort(device, number, isEnabled, description.type(),
                     description.portSpeed(), annotations);
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
index e6d645f..ea25e8c 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
@@ -1107,8 +1107,14 @@
                 return new DefaultPort(device, number, isEnabled, description.type(),
                                        description.portSpeed(), annotations);
             case ODUCLT:
-                OduCltPortDescription oduDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) description;
-                return new OduCltPort(device, number, isEnabled, oduDesc.signalType(), annotations);
+                if (description instanceof OduCltPortDescription) {
+                    // remove if-block once deprecation is complete
+                    OduCltPortDescription oduDesc = (OduCltPortDescription) description;
+                    return new OduCltPort(device, number, isEnabled, oduDesc.signalType(), annotations);
+                }
+                // same as default
+                return new DefaultPort(device, number, isEnabled, description.type(),
+                                       description.portSpeed(), annotations);
             case OTU:
                 OtuPortDescription otuDesc = (OtuPortDescription) description;
                 return new OtuPort(device, number, isEnabled, otuDesc.signalType(), annotations);