function setProtected() { $this->p = 'changed'; } } class D extends C { function setP() { $this->p = 'changed in D'; } } $d = new D(); echo "Unset and recreate a protected property from property's declaring class scope:\n"; $d->unsetProtected(); $d->setProtected(); var_dump($d); echo "\nUnset and recreate a protected property from subclass:\n"; $d = new D(); $d->unsetProtected(); $d->setP(); var_dump($d); echo "\nUnset a protected property, and attempt to recreate it outside of scope (expected failure):\n"; $d->unsetProtected(); $d->p = 'this will fail'; var_dump($d); ?> --EXPECTF-- Unset and recreate a protected property from property's declaring class scope: object(D)#%d (1) { ["p":protected]=>