diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gitlab4j/api/ProtectedBranchesApi.java b/src/main/java/org/gitlab4j/api/ProtectedBranchesApi.java
index 854e2398a..91e4b4ce7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gitlab4j/api/ProtectedBranchesApi.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gitlab4j/api/ProtectedBranchesApi.java
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
      * <p>NOTE: This method is only available to GitLab Starter, Bronze, or higher.</p>
      *
      * <pre><code>GitLab Endpoint: POST /projects/:id/protected_branches</code></pre>
+     * @deprecated use {@link #protectBranch(Object, String, Long, Long, Long, Boolean)} instead.
      *
      * @param projectIdOrPath the project in the form of an Long(ID), String(path), or Project instance
      * @param branchName the name of the branch to protect, can be a wildcard
@@ -206,18 +207,42 @@ public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
      * @return the branch info for the protected branch
      * @throws GitLabApiException if any exception occurs
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
             Integer allowedToPushUserId, Integer allowedToMergeUserId, Integer allowedToUnprotectUserId,
             Boolean codeOwnerApprovalRequired) throws GitLabApiException {
         return protectBranch(projectIdOrPath, branchName, allowedToPushUserId, allowedToMergeUserId, allowedToUnprotectUserId, codeOwnerApprovalRequired, null);
     }
 
+   /**
+     * Protects a single repository branch or several project repository branches using a wildcard protected branch.
+     *
+     * <p>NOTE: This method is only available to GitLab Starter, Bronze, or higher.</p>
+     *
+     * <pre><code>GitLab Endpoint: POST /projects/:id/protected_branches</code></pre>
+     *
+     * @param projectIdOrPath the project in the form of an Long(ID), String(path), or Project instance
+     * @param branchName the name of the branch to protect, can be a wildcard
+     * @param allowedToPushUserId user ID allowed to push, can be null
+     * @param allowedToMergeUserId user ID allowed to merge, can be null
+     * @param allowedToUnprotectUserId user ID allowed to unprotect, can be null
+     * @param codeOwnerApprovalRequired prevent pushes to this branch if it matches an item in the CODEOWNERS file. (defaults: false)
+     * @return the branch info for the protected branch
+     * @throws GitLabApiException if any exception occurs
+    */
+    public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
+            Long allowedToPushUserId, Long allowedToMergeUserId, Long allowedToUnprotectUserId,
+            Boolean codeOwnerApprovalRequired) throws GitLabApiException {
+        return protectBranch(projectIdOrPath, branchName, allowedToPushUserId, allowedToMergeUserId, allowedToUnprotectUserId, codeOwnerApprovalRequired, null);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Protects a single repository branch or several project repository branches using a wildcard protected branch.
      *
      * <p>NOTE: This method is only available to GitLab Starter, Bronze, or higher.</p>
      *
      * <pre><code>GitLab Endpoint: POST /projects/:id/protected_branches</code></pre>
+     * @deprecated use {@link #protectBranch(Object, String, Long, Long, Long, Boolean, Boolean)} instead.
      *
      * @param projectIdOrPath the project in the form of an Long(ID), String(path), or Project instance
      * @param branchName the name of the branch to protect, can be a wildcard
@@ -229,9 +254,40 @@ public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
      * @return the branch info for the protected branch
      * @throws GitLabApiException if any exception occurs
      */
+    @Deprecated
     public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
             Integer allowedToPushUserId, Integer allowedToMergeUserId, Integer allowedToUnprotectUserId,
             Boolean codeOwnerApprovalRequired, Boolean allowForcedPush) throws GitLabApiException {
+        return protectBranch(projectIdOrPath, branchName, toLong(allowedToPushUserId), toLong(allowedToMergeUserId), toLong(allowedToUnprotectUserId), codeOwnerApprovalRequired, allowForcedPush);
+    }
+
+    private static Long toLong(Integer value) {
+        if(value == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
+        return value.longValue();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Protects a single repository branch or several project repository branches using a wildcard protected branch.
+     *
+     * <p>NOTE: This method is only available to GitLab Starter, Bronze, or higher.</p>
+     *
+     * <pre><code>GitLab Endpoint: POST /projects/:id/protected_branches</code></pre>
+     *
+     * @param projectIdOrPath the project in the form of an Long(ID), String(path), or Project instance
+     * @param branchName the name of the branch to protect, can be a wildcard
+     * @param allowedToPushUserId user ID allowed to push, can be null
+     * @param allowedToMergeUserId user ID allowed to merge, can be null
+     * @param allowedToUnprotectUserId user ID allowed to unprotect, can be null
+     * @param codeOwnerApprovalRequired prevent pushes to this branch if it matches an item in the CODEOWNERS file. (defaults: false)
+     * @param allowForcedPush when enabled, members who can push to this branch can also force push. (default: false) 
+     * @return the branch info for the protected branch
+     * @throws GitLabApiException if any exception occurs
+     */
+    public ProtectedBranch protectBranch(Object projectIdOrPath, String branchName,
+            Long allowedToPushUserId, Long allowedToMergeUserId, Long allowedToUnprotectUserId,
+            Boolean codeOwnerApprovalRequired, Boolean allowForcedPush) throws GitLabApiException {
 
         Form formData = new GitLabApiForm()
                 .withParam("name", branchName, true)