diff --git a/onnxruntime/core/session/inference_session.h b/onnxruntime/core/session/inference_session.h
index 3020719648..cf27c46d55 100644
--- a/onnxruntime/core/session/inference_session.h
+++ b/onnxruntime/core/session/inference_session.h
@@ -377,10 +377,6 @@ class InferenceSession {
   // The file path of where the model was loaded. e.g. /tmp/test_squeezenet/model.onnx
   std::basic_string<ORTCHAR_T> model_location_;
 
-  // Immutable state for each op in the model. Shared by all executors.
-  // It has a dependency on execution_providers_.
-  std::unique_ptr<SessionState> session_state_;
-
  private:
   ORT_DISALLOW_COPY_ASSIGNMENT_AND_MOVE(InferenceSession);
 
@@ -457,6 +453,12 @@ class InferenceSession {
   // The list of execution providers.
   ExecutionProviders execution_providers_;
 
+ protected:
+  // Immutable state for each op in the model. Shared by all executors.
+  // It has a dependency on execution_providers_.
+  std::unique_ptr<SessionState> session_state_;
+
+ private:
   // Threadpool for this session
   std::unique_ptr<onnxruntime::concurrency::ThreadPool> thread_pool_;
   std::unique_ptr<onnxruntime::concurrency::ThreadPool> inter_op_thread_pool_;