diff --git a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-distcp/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/tools/DistCp.java b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-distcp/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/tools/DistCp.java
index 4f79975ede6..a1a2075831b 100644
--- a/hadoop-tools/hadoop-distcp/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/tools/DistCp.java
+++ b/hadoop-tools/hadoop-distcp/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/tools/DistCp.java
@@ -416,6 +416,15 @@ private Path createMetaFolderPath() throws Exception {
     return metaFolderPath;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns the context.
+   *
+   * @return the context
+   */
+  protected DistCpContext getContext() {
+    return context;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Main function of the DistCp program. Parses the input arguments (via OptionsParser),
    * and invokes the DistCp::run() method, via the ToolRunner.