diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSource.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSource.java
index 42ab45d101a..ac78f3ebfe2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSource.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSource.java
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsSource implements Writeable, ToXContentObject {
         return queryProvider.getParsingException();
     }
 
+    // visible for testing
+    QueryProvider getQueryProvider() {
+        return queryProvider;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Calls the parser and returns any gathered deprecations
      *
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParams.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParams.java
index e0890c21377..04ced8a2f4c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParams.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParams.java
@@ -190,6 +190,15 @@ public class BoostedTreeParams implements ToXContentFragment, Writeable {
 
         private Builder() {}
 
+        Builder(BoostedTreeParams params) {
+            this.lambda = params.lambda;
+            this.gamma = params.gamma;
+            this.eta = params.eta;
+            this.maximumNumberTrees = params.maximumNumberTrees;
+            this.featureBagFraction = params.featureBagFraction;
+            this.numTopFeatureImportanceValues = params.numTopFeatureImportanceValues;
+        }
+
         public Builder setLambda(Double lambda) {
             this.lambda = lambda;
             return this;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Classification.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Classification.java
index d834547c020..ece6f6a278b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Classification.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Classification.java
@@ -152,8 +152,7 @@ public class Classification implements DataFrameAnalysis {
         return trainingPercent;
     }
 
-    @Nullable
-    public Long getRandomizeSeed() {
+    public long getRandomizeSeed() {
         return randomizeSeed;
     }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetection.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetection.java
index 264cd06f9f6..654d5ba4d1a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetection.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetection.java
@@ -271,6 +271,17 @@ public class OutlierDetection implements DataFrameAnalysis {
         private double outlierFraction = 0.05;
         private boolean standardizationEnabled = true;
 
+        public Builder() {}
+
+        public Builder(OutlierDetection other) {
+            this.nNeighbors = other.nNeighbors;
+            this.method = other.method;
+            this.featureInfluenceThreshold = other.featureInfluenceThreshold;
+            this.computeFeatureInfluence = other.computeFeatureInfluence;
+            this.outlierFraction = other.outlierFraction;
+            this.standardizationEnabled = other.standardizationEnabled;
+        }
+
         public Builder setNNeighbors(Integer nNeighbors) {
             this.nNeighbors = nNeighbors;
             return this;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Regression.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Regression.java
index a4e4c423782..86f8039090c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Regression.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/Regression.java
@@ -116,8 +116,7 @@ public class Regression implements DataFrameAnalysis {
         return trainingPercent;
     }
 
-    @Nullable
-    public Long getRandomizeSeed() {
+    public long getRandomizeSeed() {
         return randomizeSeed;
     }
 
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ public class Regression implements DataFrameAnalysis {
             && Objects.equals(boostedTreeParams, that.boostedTreeParams)
             && Objects.equals(predictionFieldName, that.predictionFieldName)
             && trainingPercent == that.trainingPercent
-            && randomizeSeed == randomizeSeed;
+            && randomizeSeed == that.randomizeSeed;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f34f8fc008f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase.java
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml;
+
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
+import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ToXContent;
+import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+
+import static org.elasticsearch.Version.getDeclaredVersions;
+
+public abstract class AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<T extends Writeable & ToXContent> extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<T> {
+
+    private static final List<Version> ALL_VERSIONS = Collections.unmodifiableList(getDeclaredVersions(Version.class));
+
+    public static List<Version> getAllBWCVersions(Version version) {
+        return ALL_VERSIONS.stream().filter(v -> v.before(version) && version.isCompatible(v)).collect(Collectors.toList());
+    }
+
+    private static final List<Version> DEFAULT_BWC_VERSIONS = getAllBWCVersions(Version.CURRENT);
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the expected instance if serialized from the given version.
+     */
+    protected abstract T mutateInstanceForVersion(T instance, Version version);
+
+    /**
+     * The bwc versions to test serialization against
+     */
+    protected List<Version> bwcVersions() {
+        return DEFAULT_BWC_VERSIONS;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test serialization and deserialization of the test instance across versions
+     */
+    public final void testBwcSerialization() throws IOException {
+        for (int runs = 0; runs < NUMBER_OF_TEST_RUNS; runs++) {
+            T testInstance = createTestInstance();
+            for (Version bwcVersion : bwcVersions()) {
+                assertBwcSerialization(testInstance, bwcVersion);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Assert that instances copied at a particular version are equal. The version is useful
+     * for sanity checking the backwards compatibility of the wire. It isn't a substitute for
+     * real backwards compatibility tests but it is *so* much faster.
+     */
+    protected final void assertBwcSerialization(T testInstance, Version version) throws IOException {
+        T deserializedInstance = copyWriteable(testInstance, getNamedWriteableRegistry(), instanceReader(), version);
+        assertOnBWCObject(deserializedInstance, mutateInstanceForVersion(testInstance, version), version);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param bwcSerializedObject The object deserialized from the previous version
+     * @param testInstance The original test instance
+     * @param version The version which serialized
+     */
+    protected void assertOnBWCObject(T bwcSerializedObject, T testInstance, Version version) {
+        assertNotSame(version.toString(), bwcSerializedObject, testInstance);
+        assertEquals(version.toString(), bwcSerializedObject, testInstance);
+        assertEquals(version.toString(), bwcSerializedObject.hashCode(), testInstance.hashCode());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.java
index 46df2a9d31e..8992530c1db 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.java
@@ -31,10 +31,15 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.json.JsonXContent;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.query.MatchAllQueryBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.SearchModule;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.fetch.subphase.FetchSourceContext;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.Classification;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.ClassificationTests;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.DataFrameAnalysis;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.MlDataFrameAnalysisNamedXContentProvider;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.OutlierDetection;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.OutlierDetectionTests;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.Regression;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.RegressionTests;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.utils.ToXContentParams;
 import org.junit.Before;
 
@@ -56,7 +61,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.nullValue;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.startsWith;
 
-public class DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsConfig> {
+public class DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsConfig> {
 
     @Override
     protected DataFrameAnalyticsConfig doParseInstance(XContentParser parser) throws IOException {
@@ -88,6 +93,83 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<D
         return createRandom(randomValidId(), lenient);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected DataFrameAnalyticsConfig mutateInstanceForVersion(DataFrameAnalyticsConfig instance, Version version) {
+        DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder builder = new DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder(instance)
+            .setSource(DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.mutateForVersion(instance.getSource(), version))
+            .setDest(DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.mutateForVersion(instance.getDest(), version));
+        if (instance.getAnalysis() instanceof OutlierDetection) {
+            builder.setAnalysis(OutlierDetectionTests.mutateForVersion((OutlierDetection)instance.getAnalysis(), version));
+        }
+        if (instance.getAnalysis() instanceof Regression) {
+            builder.setAnalysis(RegressionTests.mutateForVersion((Regression)instance.getAnalysis(), version));
+        }
+        if (instance.getAnalysis() instanceof Classification) {
+            builder.setAnalysis(ClassificationTests.mutateForVersion((Classification)instance.getAnalysis(), version));
+        }
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_5_0)) {
+            builder.setAllowLazyStart(false);
+        }
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_4_0)) {
+            builder.setDescription(null);
+        }
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_3_0)) {
+            builder.setCreateTime(null);
+            builder.setVersion(null);
+        }
+        return builder.build();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void assertOnBWCObject(DataFrameAnalyticsConfig bwcSerializedObject, DataFrameAnalyticsConfig testInstance, Version version) {
+
+        // Don't have to worry about Regression/Classifications Seeds
+        if (version.onOrAfter(Version.V_7_6_0) || testInstance.getAnalysis() instanceof OutlierDetection) {
+            super.assertOnBWCObject(bwcSerializedObject, testInstance, version);
+            return;
+        }
+        DataFrameAnalysis bwcAnalysis;
+        DataFrameAnalysis testAnalysis;
+        if (testInstance.getAnalysis() instanceof Regression) {
+            Regression testRegression = (Regression)testInstance.getAnalysis();
+            Regression bwcRegression = (Regression)bwcSerializedObject.getAnalysis();
+
+            bwcAnalysis = new Regression(bwcRegression.getDependentVariable(),
+                bwcRegression.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+                bwcRegression.getPredictionFieldName(),
+                bwcRegression.getTrainingPercent(),
+                42L);
+            testAnalysis = new Regression(testRegression.getDependentVariable(),
+                testRegression.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+                testRegression.getPredictionFieldName(),
+                testRegression.getTrainingPercent(),
+                42L);
+        } else {
+            Classification testClassification = (Classification)testInstance.getAnalysis();
+            Classification bwcClassification = (Classification)bwcSerializedObject.getAnalysis();
+            bwcAnalysis = new Classification(bwcClassification.getDependentVariable(),
+                bwcClassification.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+                bwcClassification.getPredictionFieldName(),
+                bwcClassification.getNumTopClasses(),
+                bwcClassification.getTrainingPercent(),
+                42L);
+            testAnalysis = new Classification(testClassification.getDependentVariable(),
+                testClassification.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+                testClassification.getPredictionFieldName(),
+                testClassification.getNumTopClasses(),
+                testClassification.getTrainingPercent(),
+                42L);
+        }
+        super.assertOnBWCObject(new DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder(bwcSerializedObject)
+            .setAnalysis(bwcAnalysis)
+            .build(),
+            new DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder(testInstance)
+            .setAnalysis(testAnalysis)
+            .build(),
+            version);
+    }
+
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<DataFrameAnalyticsConfig> instanceReader() {
         return DataFrameAnalyticsConfig::new;
@@ -98,19 +180,23 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<D
     }
 
     public static DataFrameAnalyticsConfig createRandom(String id, boolean withGeneratedFields) {
-        return createRandomBuilder(id, withGeneratedFields).build();
+        return createRandomBuilder(id, withGeneratedFields, randomFrom(OutlierDetectionTests.createRandom(),
+            RegressionTests.createRandom(),
+            ClassificationTests.createRandom())).build();
     }
 
     public static DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder createRandomBuilder(String id) {
-        return createRandomBuilder(id, false);
+        return createRandomBuilder(id, false, randomFrom(OutlierDetectionTests.createRandom(),
+            RegressionTests.createRandom(),
+            ClassificationTests.createRandom()));
     }
 
-    public static DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder createRandomBuilder(String id, boolean withGeneratedFields) {
+    public static DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder createRandomBuilder(String id, boolean withGeneratedFields, DataFrameAnalysis analysis) {
         DataFrameAnalyticsSource source = DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.createRandom();
         DataFrameAnalyticsDest dest = DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.createRandom();
         DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder builder = new DataFrameAnalyticsConfig.Builder()
             .setId(id)
-            .setAnalysis(OutlierDetectionTests.createRandom())
+            .setAnalysis(analysis)
             .setSource(source)
             .setDest(dest);
         if (randomBoolean()) {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.java
index 73326877238..d15fc960a55 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests.java
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentParser;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 
-public class DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsDest> {
+public class DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsDest> {
 
     @Override
     protected DataFrameAnalyticsDest doParseInstance(XContentParser parser) throws IOException {
@@ -29,8 +30,17 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsDestTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Dat
         return new DataFrameAnalyticsDest(index, resultsField);
     }
 
+    public static DataFrameAnalyticsDest mutateForVersion(DataFrameAnalyticsDest instance, Version version) {
+        return instance;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<DataFrameAnalyticsDest> instanceReader() {
         return DataFrameAnalyticsDest::new;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected DataFrameAnalyticsDest mutateInstanceForVersion(DataFrameAnalyticsDest instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.java
index da62dd8cf4e..d227d4b2059 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.NamedWriteableRegistry;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentParser;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.query.QueryBuilders;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.SearchModule;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.fetch.subphase.FetchSourceContext;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.utils.QueryProvider;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 
-public class DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsSource> {
+public class DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<DataFrameAnalyticsSource> {
 
     @Override
     protected NamedWriteableRegistry getNamedWriteableRegistry() {
@@ -69,6 +70,13 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<D
         return new DataFrameAnalyticsSource(index, queryProvider, sourceFiltering);
     }
 
+    public static DataFrameAnalyticsSource mutateForVersion(DataFrameAnalyticsSource instance, Version version) {
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_6_0)) {
+            return new DataFrameAnalyticsSource(instance.getIndex(), instance.getQueryProvider(), null);
+        }
+        return instance;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<DataFrameAnalyticsSource> instanceReader() {
         return DataFrameAnalyticsSource::new;
@@ -132,4 +140,9 @@ public class DataFrameAnalyticsSourceTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<D
             includes.toArray(new String[0]), excludes.toArray(new String[0]));
         return new DataFrameAnalyticsSource(new String[] { "index" } , null, sourceFiltering);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected DataFrameAnalyticsSource mutateInstanceForVersion(DataFrameAnalyticsSource instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParamsTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParamsTests.java
index 6f3aff88846..7f9d8c243e5 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParamsTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/BoostedTreeParamsTests.java
@@ -6,16 +6,17 @@
 package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchStatusException;
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ConstructingObjectParser;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentParser;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 
-public class BoostedTreeParamsTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<BoostedTreeParams> {
+public class BoostedTreeParamsTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<BoostedTreeParams> {
 
     @Override
     protected BoostedTreeParams doParseInstance(XContentParser parser) throws IOException {
@@ -44,6 +45,14 @@ public class BoostedTreeParamsTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<BoostedT
             .build();
     }
 
+    public static BoostedTreeParams mutateForVersion(BoostedTreeParams instance, Version version) {
+        BoostedTreeParams.Builder builder = new BoostedTreeParams.Builder(instance);
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_6_0)) {
+            builder.setNumTopFeatureImportanceValues(null);
+        }
+        return builder.build();
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<BoostedTreeParams> instanceReader() {
         return BoostedTreeParams::new;
@@ -111,4 +120,9 @@ public class BoostedTreeParamsTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<BoostedT
 
         assertThat(e.getMessage(), equalTo("[num_top_feature_importance_values] must be a non-negative integer"));
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected BoostedTreeParams mutateInstanceForVersion(BoostedTreeParams instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/ClassificationTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/ClassificationTests.java
index 3e817eae460..a475602128e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/ClassificationTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/ClassificationTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.json.JsonXContent;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.BooleanFieldMapper;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.KeywordFieldMapper;
 import org.elasticsearch.index.mapper.NumberFieldMapper;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 import org.hamcrest.Matchers;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.nullValue;
 
-public class ClassificationTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Classification> {
+public class ClassificationTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<Classification> {
 
     private static final BoostedTreeParams BOOSTED_TREE_PARAMS = BoostedTreeParams.builder().build();
 
@@ -62,6 +62,37 @@ public class ClassificationTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Classificat
             randomizeSeed);
     }
 
+    public static Classification mutateForVersion(Classification instance, Version version) {
+        return new Classification(instance.getDependentVariable(),
+            BoostedTreeParamsTests.mutateForVersion(instance.getBoostedTreeParams(), version),
+            instance.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            instance.getNumTopClasses(),
+            instance.getTrainingPercent(),
+            instance.getRandomizeSeed());
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void assertOnBWCObject(Classification bwcSerializedObject, Classification testInstance, Version version) {
+        if (version.onOrAfter(Version.V_7_6_0)) {
+            super.assertOnBWCObject(bwcSerializedObject, testInstance, version);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Classification newBwc = new Classification(bwcSerializedObject.getDependentVariable(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getNumTopClasses(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getTrainingPercent(),
+            42L);
+        Classification newInstance = new Classification(testInstance.getDependentVariable(),
+            testInstance.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+            testInstance.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            testInstance.getNumTopClasses(),
+            testInstance.getTrainingPercent(),
+            42L);
+        super.assertOnBWCObject(newBwc, newInstance, version);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<Classification> instanceReader() {
         return Classification::new;
@@ -270,4 +301,9 @@ public class ClassificationTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Classificat
         assertThat(Classification.extractJobIdFromStateDoc("foo_bar-1_classification_state#1"), equalTo("foo_bar-1"));
         assertThat(Classification.extractJobIdFromStateDoc("noop"), is(nullValue()));
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected Classification mutateInstanceForVersion(Classification instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetectionTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetectionTests.java
index f1f29777e80..62232f8d92a 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetectionTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/OutlierDetectionTests.java
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
  */
 package org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.io.stream.Writeable;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentParser;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.empty;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 
-public class OutlierDetectionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<OutlierDetection> {
+public class OutlierDetectionTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<OutlierDetection> {
 
     @Override
     protected OutlierDetection doParseInstance(XContentParser parser) throws IOException {
@@ -44,6 +45,17 @@ public class OutlierDetectionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<OutlierDe
             .build();
     }
 
+    public static OutlierDetection mutateForVersion(OutlierDetection instance, Version version) {
+        if (version.before(Version.V_7_5_0)) {
+            return new OutlierDetection.Builder(instance)
+                .setComputeFeatureInfluence(true)
+                .setOutlierFraction(0.05)
+                .setStandardizationEnabled(true)
+                .build();
+        }
+        return instance;
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<OutlierDetection> instanceReader() {
         return OutlierDetection::new;
@@ -101,4 +113,9 @@ public class OutlierDetectionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<OutlierDe
         assertThat(outlierDetection.persistsState(), is(false));
         expectThrows(UnsupportedOperationException.class, () -> outlierDetection.getStateDocId("foo"));
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected OutlierDetection mutateInstanceForVersion(OutlierDetection instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/RegressionTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/RegressionTests.java
index 46e866abb6e..d843acdea4d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/RegressionTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/dataframe/analyses/RegressionTests.java
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.ToXContent;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentBuilder;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentParser;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.json.JsonXContent;
-import org.elasticsearch.test.AbstractSerializingTestCase;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.not;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.nullValue;
 
-public class RegressionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Regression> {
+public class RegressionTests extends AbstractBWCSerializationTestCase<Regression> {
 
     private static final BoostedTreeParams BOOSTED_TREE_PARAMS = BoostedTreeParams.builder().build();
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ public class RegressionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Regression> {
         return createRandom();
     }
 
-    private static Regression createRandom() {
+    public static Regression createRandom() {
         String dependentVariableName = randomAlphaOfLength(10);
         BoostedTreeParams boostedTreeParams = BoostedTreeParamsTests.createRandom();
         String predictionFieldName = randomBoolean() ? null : randomAlphaOfLength(10);
@@ -51,6 +51,39 @@ public class RegressionTests extends AbstractSerializingTestCase<Regression> {
         return new Regression(dependentVariableName, boostedTreeParams, predictionFieldName, trainingPercent, randomizeSeed);
     }
 
+    public static Regression mutateForVersion(Regression instance, Version version) {
+        return new Regression(instance.getDependentVariable(),
+            BoostedTreeParamsTests.mutateForVersion(instance.getBoostedTreeParams(), version),
+            instance.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            instance.getTrainingPercent(),
+            instance.getRandomizeSeed());
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void assertOnBWCObject(Regression bwcSerializedObject, Regression testInstance, Version version) {
+        if (version.onOrAfter(Version.V_7_6_0)) {
+            super.assertOnBWCObject(bwcSerializedObject, testInstance, version);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Regression newBwc = new Regression(bwcSerializedObject.getDependentVariable(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            bwcSerializedObject.getTrainingPercent(),
+            42L);
+        Regression newInstance = new Regression(testInstance.getDependentVariable(),
+            testInstance.getBoostedTreeParams(),
+            testInstance.getPredictionFieldName(),
+            testInstance.getTrainingPercent(),
+            42L);
+        super.assertOnBWCObject(newBwc, newInstance, version);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected Regression mutateInstanceForVersion(Regression instance, Version version) {
+        return mutateForVersion(instance, version);
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected Writeable.Reader<Regression> instanceReader() {
         return Regression::new;
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/dataframe/process/AnalyticsProcessManagerTests.java b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/dataframe/process/AnalyticsProcessManagerTests.java
index 21c06b96c40..29f58ae18f0 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/dataframe/process/AnalyticsProcessManagerTests.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/ml/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/dataframe/process/AnalyticsProcessManagerTests.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.threadpool.ThreadPool;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.DataFrameAnalyticsConfig;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.DataFrameAnalyticsState;
+import org.elasticsearch.xpack.core.ml.dataframe.analyses.OutlierDetectionTests;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ml.dataframe.DataFrameAnalyticsTask;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ml.dataframe.extractor.DataFrameDataExtractor;
 import org.elasticsearch.xpack.ml.dataframe.extractor.DataFrameDataExtractorFactory;
@@ -87,7 +88,9 @@ public class AnalyticsProcessManagerTests extends ESTestCase {
         task = mock(DataFrameAnalyticsTask.class);
         when(task.getAllocationId()).thenReturn(TASK_ALLOCATION_ID);
         when(task.getProgressTracker()).thenReturn(mock(DataFrameAnalyticsTask.ProgressTracker.class));
-        dataFrameAnalyticsConfig = DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.createRandom(CONFIG_ID);
+        dataFrameAnalyticsConfig = DataFrameAnalyticsConfigTests.createRandomBuilder(CONFIG_ID,
+            false,
+            OutlierDetectionTests.createRandom()).build();
         dataExtractor = mock(DataFrameDataExtractor.class);
         when(dataExtractor.collectDataSummary()).thenReturn(new DataFrameDataExtractor.DataSummary(NUM_ROWS, NUM_COLS));
         dataExtractorFactory = mock(DataFrameDataExtractorFactory.class);