diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/DiscoveryNodes.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/DiscoveryNodes.java
index 70f71a63cf0..c49a5f2fc40 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/DiscoveryNodes.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/node/DiscoveryNodes.java
@@ -123,22 +123,13 @@ public class DiscoveryNodes extends AbstractDiffable<DiscoveryNodes> implements
         return this.dataNodes;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Get a {@link Map} of the discovered master nodes arranged by their ids
-     *
-     * @return {@link Map} of the discovered master nodes arranged by their ids
-     */
-    public ImmutableOpenMap<String, DiscoveryNode> masterNodes() {
-        return this.masterNodes;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Get a {@link Map} of the discovered master nodes arranged by their ids
      *
      * @return {@link Map} of the discovered master nodes arranged by their ids
      */
     public ImmutableOpenMap<String, DiscoveryNode> getMasterNodes() {
-        return masterNodes();
+        return this.masterNodes;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/ZenDiscovery.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/ZenDiscovery.java
index a4c06536fa9..ce18f3473a1 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/ZenDiscovery.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/ZenDiscovery.java
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ public class ZenDiscovery extends AbstractLifecycleComponent<Discovery> implemen
 
         clusterSettings.addSettingsUpdateConsumer(ElectMasterService.DISCOVERY_ZEN_MINIMUM_MASTER_NODES_SETTING, this::handleMinimumMasterNodesChanged, (value) -> {
             final ClusterState clusterState = clusterService.state();
-            int masterNodes = clusterState.nodes().masterNodes().size();
+            int masterNodes = clusterState.nodes().getMasterNodes().size();
             if (value > masterNodes) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException("cannot set " + ElectMasterService.DISCOVERY_ZEN_MINIMUM_MASTER_NODES_SETTING.getKey() + " to more than the current master nodes count [" + masterNodes + "]");
             }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/publish/PublishClusterStateAction.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/publish/PublishClusterStateAction.java
index 00cebac1435..87ed92d7a41 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/publish/PublishClusterStateAction.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/discovery/zen/publish/PublishClusterStateAction.java
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ public class PublishClusterStateAction extends AbstractComponent {
             nodes = clusterChangedEvent.state().nodes();
             nodesToPublishTo = new HashSet<>(nodes.getSize());
             DiscoveryNode localNode = nodes.localNode();
-            final int totalMasterNodes = nodes.masterNodes().size();
+            final int totalMasterNodes = nodes.getMasterNodes().size();
             for (final DiscoveryNode node : nodes) {
                 if (node.equals(localNode) == false) {
                     nodesToPublishTo.add(node);
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
index b2cb2d11079..4da789b43fc 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/Gateway.java
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public class Gateway extends AbstractComponent implements ClusterStateListener {
     }
 
     public void performStateRecovery(final GatewayStateRecoveredListener listener) throws GatewayException {
-        String[] nodesIds = clusterService.state().nodes().masterNodes().keys().toArray(String.class);
+        String[] nodesIds = clusterService.state().nodes().getMasterNodes().keys().toArray(String.class);
         logger.trace("performing state recovery from {}", Arrays.toString(nodesIds));
         TransportNodesListGatewayMetaState.NodesGatewayMetaState nodesState = listGatewayMetaState.list(nodesIds, null).actionGet();
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
index 288deac432e..d30dec998bb 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/gateway/GatewayService.java
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ public class GatewayService extends AbstractLifecycleComponent<GatewayService> i
         } else if (recoverAfterDataNodes != -1 && nodes.getDataNodes().size() < recoverAfterDataNodes) {
             logger.debug("not recovering from gateway, nodes_size (data) [{}] < recover_after_data_nodes [{}]",
                 nodes.getDataNodes().size(), recoverAfterDataNodes);
-        } else if (recoverAfterMasterNodes != -1 && nodes.masterNodes().size() < recoverAfterMasterNodes) {
+        } else if (recoverAfterMasterNodes != -1 && nodes.getMasterNodes().size() < recoverAfterMasterNodes) {
             logger.debug("not recovering from gateway, nodes_size (master) [{}] < recover_after_master_nodes [{}]",
-                nodes.masterNodes().size(), recoverAfterMasterNodes);
+                nodes.getMasterNodes().size(), recoverAfterMasterNodes);
         } else {
             boolean enforceRecoverAfterTime;
             String reason;
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ public class GatewayService extends AbstractLifecycleComponent<GatewayService> i
                 } else if (expectedDataNodes != -1 && (nodes.getDataNodes().size() < expectedDataNodes)) { // does not meet the expected...
                     enforceRecoverAfterTime = true;
                     reason = "expecting [" + expectedDataNodes + "] data nodes, but only have [" + nodes.getDataNodes().size() + "]";
-                } else if (expectedMasterNodes != -1 && (nodes.masterNodes().size() < expectedMasterNodes)) { // does not meet the expected...
+                } else if (expectedMasterNodes != -1 && (nodes.getMasterNodes().size() < expectedMasterNodes)) { // does not meet the expected...
                     enforceRecoverAfterTime = true;
-                    reason = "expecting [" + expectedMasterNodes + "] master nodes, but only have [" + nodes.masterNodes().size() + "]";
+                    reason = "expecting [" + expectedMasterNodes + "] master nodes, but only have [" + nodes.getMasterNodes().size() + "]";
                 }
             }
             performStateRecovery(enforceRecoverAfterTime, reason);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
index a4afd30f788..0915ede3eea 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/action/shard/ShardStateActionTests.java
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ public class ShardStateActionTests extends ESTestCase {
     private void setUpMasterRetryVerification(int numberOfRetries, AtomicInteger retries, CountDownLatch latch, LongConsumer retryLoop) {
         shardStateAction.setOnBeforeWaitForNewMasterAndRetry(() -> {
             DiscoveryNodes.Builder masterBuilder = DiscoveryNodes.builder(clusterService.state().nodes());
-            masterBuilder.masterNodeId(clusterService.state().nodes().masterNodes().iterator().next().value.getId());
+            masterBuilder.masterNodeId(clusterService.state().nodes().getMasterNodes().iterator().next().value.getId());
             setState(clusterService, ClusterState.builder(clusterService.state()).nodes(masterBuilder));
         });