diff --git a/flink-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/api/java/ExecutionEnvironment.java b/flink-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/api/java/ExecutionEnvironment.java
index a8705a47176e2..e06b1032ce4ac 100644
--- a/flink-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/api/java/ExecutionEnvironment.java
+++ b/flink-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/api/java/ExecutionEnvironment.java
@@ -137,17 +137,23 @@ public class ExecutionEnvironment {
 	private final ClassLoader userClassloader;
 
 	/**
-	 * Creates a new Execution Environment.
+	 * Creates a new {@link ExecutionEnvironment} that will use the given {@link Configuration} to
+	 * configure the {@link org.apache.flink.core.execution.Executor}.
 	 */
-	protected ExecutionEnvironment() {
-		this(new Configuration());
-	}
-
-	protected ExecutionEnvironment(final Configuration configuration) {
+	@PublicEvolving
+	public ExecutionEnvironment(final Configuration configuration) {
 		this(DefaultExecutorServiceLoader.INSTANCE, configuration, null);
 	}
 
-	protected ExecutionEnvironment(
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link ExecutionEnvironment} that will use the given {@link
+	 * Configuration} to configure the {@link org.apache.flink.core.execution.Executor}.
+	 *
+	 * <p>In addition, this constructor allows specifying the {@link ExecutorServiceLoader} and
+	 * user code {@link ClassLoader}.
+	 */
+	@PublicEvolving
+	public ExecutionEnvironment(
 			final ExecutorServiceLoader executorServiceLoader,
 			final Configuration configuration,
 			final ClassLoader userClassloader) {
@@ -156,6 +162,13 @@ protected ExecutionEnvironment(
 		this.userClassloader = userClassloader == null ? getClass().getClassLoader() : userClassloader;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new Execution Environment.
+	 */
+	protected ExecutionEnvironment() {
+		this(new Configuration());
+	}
+
 	@Internal
 	public ClassLoader getUserCodeClassLoader() {
 		return userClassloader;
diff --git a/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/api/environment/StreamExecutionEnvironment.java b/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/api/environment/StreamExecutionEnvironment.java
index 9063f836e87d8..3cd448ec089da 100644
--- a/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/api/environment/StreamExecutionEnvironment.java
+++ b/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/api/environment/StreamExecutionEnvironment.java
@@ -173,12 +173,28 @@ public class StreamExecutionEnvironment {
 
 	public StreamExecutionEnvironment() {
 		this(new Configuration());
+		// unfortunately, StreamExecutionEnvironment always (implicitly) had a public constructor.
+		// This constructor is not useful because the execution environment cannot be used for
+		// execution. We're keeping this to appease the binary compatibiliy checks.
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link StreamExecutionEnvironment} that will use the given {@link
+	 * Configuration} to configure the {@link org.apache.flink.core.execution.Executor}.
+	 */
+	@PublicEvolving
 	public StreamExecutionEnvironment(final Configuration configuration) {
 		this(DefaultExecutorServiceLoader.INSTANCE, configuration, null);
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Creates a new {@link StreamExecutionEnvironment} that will use the given {@link
+	 * Configuration} to configure the {@link org.apache.flink.core.execution.Executor}.
+	 *
+	 * <p>In addition, this constructor allows specifying the {@link ExecutorServiceLoader} and
+	 * user code {@link ClassLoader}.
+	 */
+	@PublicEvolving
 	public StreamExecutionEnvironment(
 			final ExecutorServiceLoader executorServiceLoader,
 			final Configuration configuration,