diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRule.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRule.java
index 7b3f347ca1..c2614de710 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRule.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRule.java
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractRule extends AbstractPropertySource implements Rul
         definePropertyDescriptor(Rule.VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_DESCRIPTOR);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected String getPropertySourceType() {
+        return "rule";
+    }
+
     /**
      * @deprecated Use {@link #deepCopy()} to create verbatim copies of rules.
      */
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
index 1145f89eeb..15b2609f41 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/RuleReference.java
@@ -329,6 +329,13 @@ public class RuleReference extends AbstractDelegateRule {
                 || super.hasDescriptor(descriptor);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #isPropertyOverridden(PropertyDescriptor)} instead
+     */
+    @Deprecated
+    public boolean hasOverriddenProperty(PropertyDescriptor<?> descriptor) {
+        return isPropertyOverridden(descriptor);
+    }
 
     @Override
     public boolean isPropertyOverridden(PropertyDescriptor<?> descriptor) {
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/properties/AbstractPropertySource.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/properties/AbstractPropertySource.java
index fd07cadd33..2212750a7d 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/properties/AbstractPropertySource.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/properties/AbstractPropertySource.java
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import net.sourceforge.pmd.Rule;
 import net.sourceforge.pmd.util.CollectionUtil;
 
 
@@ -103,10 +102,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractPropertySource implements PropertySource {
     }
 
 
-    private String getPropertySourceType() {
-        return this instanceof Rule ? "rule" : "renderer";
-    }
-
+    protected abstract String getPropertySourceType();
 
     @Override
     public PropertyDescriptor<?> getPropertyDescriptor(String name) {
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/renderers/AbstractRenderer.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/renderers/AbstractRenderer.java
index e01b788cda..33a7612495 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/renderers/AbstractRenderer.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/renderers/AbstractRenderer.java
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractRenderer extends AbstractPropertySource implements
         this.description = description;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected String getPropertySourceType() {
+        return "renderer";
+    }
+
     @Override
     public String getName() {
         return name;