diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultDeviceDescription.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultDeviceDescription.java
index 788d23a..ede2eb2 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultDeviceDescription.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultDeviceDescription.java
@@ -96,4 +96,13 @@
                 .toString();
     }
 
+    // default constructor for serialization
+    private DefaultDeviceDescription() {
+        this.uri = null;
+        this.type = null;
+        this.manufacturer = null;
+        this.hwVersion = null;
+        this.swVersion = null;
+        this.serialNumber = null;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
index eb75ede..e1dcf9e 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
@@ -48,4 +48,9 @@
         return isEnabled;
     }
 
+    // default constructor for serialization
+    private DefaultPortDescription() {
+        this.number = null;
+        this.isEnabled = false;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/common/impl/Timestamped.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/common/impl/Timestamped.java
index 0598d6d..77b0a87 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/common/impl/Timestamped.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/common/impl/Timestamped.java
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 
     // Default constructor for serialization
     @Deprecated
-    protected Timestamped() {
+    private Timestamped() {
         this.value = null;
         this.timestamp = null;
     }