diff --git a/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml b/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
index 38c7d4b3a13..ca229b4b698 100644
--- a/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
+++ b/detekt-core/src/main/resources/default-detekt-config.yml
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@ comments:
   EndOfSentenceFormat:
     active: false
     endOfSentenceFormat: '([.?!][ \t\n\r\f<])|([.?!:]$)'
+  KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty:
+    active: false
+    excludes: ['**/test/**', '**/androidTest/**', '**/commonTest/**', '**/jvmTest/**', '**/jsTest/**', '**/iosTest/**']
   OutdatedDocumentation:
     active: false
     matchTypeParameters: true
     matchDeclarationsOrder: true
     allowParamOnConstructorProperties: false
-  ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty:
-    active: false
-    excludes: ['**/test/**', '**/androidTest/**', '**/commonTest/**', '**/jvmTest/**', '**/jsTest/**', '**/iosTest/**']
   UndocumentedPublicClass:
     active: false
     excludes: ['**/test/**', '**/androidTest/**', '**/commonTest/**', '**/jvmTest/**', '**/jsTest/**', '**/iosTest/**']
diff --git a/detekt-generator/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/generator/printer/defaultconfig/Exclusion.kt b/detekt-generator/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/generator/printer/defaultconfig/Exclusion.kt
index 31082623265..380dfa87258 100644
--- a/detekt-generator/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/generator/printer/defaultconfig/Exclusion.kt
+++ b/detekt-generator/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/generator/printer/defaultconfig/Exclusion.kt
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ private object TestExclusions : Exclusions() {
         "UndocumentedPublicFunction",
         "UndocumentedPublicProperty",
         "UnsafeCallOnNullableType",
-        "ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty",
+        "KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty",
     )
 }
 
diff --git a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/CommentSmellProvider.kt b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/CommentSmellProvider.kt
index 7d580a5b4eb..860996b59ca 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/CommentSmellProvider.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/CommentSmellProvider.kt
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class CommentSmellProvider : DefaultRuleSetProvider {
             UndocumentedPublicFunction(config),
             UndocumentedPublicProperty(config),
             AbsentOrWrongFileLicense(config),
-            ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty(config)
+            KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty(config)
         )
     )
 }
diff --git a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty.kt b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty.kt
similarity index 73%
rename from detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty.kt
rename to detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty.kt
index 2cd084cbddf..7e2571187b7 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/main/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty.kt
@@ -16,31 +16,56 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.getTopmostParentOfType
 import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.isPublic
 
 /**
- * This rule will report any KDoc comments that refer to encapsulated properties of a class.
+ * This rule will report any KDoc comments that refer to non-public properties of a class.
  * Clients do not need to know the implementation details.
+ *
  * See [Encapsulation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encapsulation_(computer_programming))
+ *
+ * <noncompliant>
+ * /**
+ *  * Comment
+ *  * [prop1] - non-public property
+ *  * [prop2] - public property
+ *  */
+ * class Test {
+ *     private val prop1 = 0
+ *     val prop2 = 0
+ * }
+ * </noncompliant>
+ *
+ * <compliant>
+ * /**
+ *  * Comment
+ *  * [prop2] - public property
+ *  */
+ * class Test {
+ *     private val prop1 = 0
+ *     val prop2 = 0
+ * }
+ * </compliant>
+ *
  */
-class ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(config) {
+class KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(config) {
 
     override val issue = Issue(
         javaClass.simpleName,
         Severity.Maintainability,
-        "KDoc comments should not refer to encapsulated properties.",
+        "KDoc comments should not refer to non-public properties.",
         Debt.FIVE_MINS
     )
 
     override fun visitProperty(property: KtProperty) {
+        super.visitProperty(property)
+
         val enclosingClass = property.getTopmostParentOfType<KtClass>()
         val comment = enclosingClass?.docComment?.text ?: return
 
-        if (property.isEncapsulatedInherited() && property.isReferencedInherited(comment)) {
+        if (property.isNonPublicInherited() && property.isReferencedInherited(comment)) {
             report(property)
         }
-
-        super.visitProperty(property)
     }
 
-    private fun KtProperty.isEncapsulatedInherited(): Boolean {
+    private fun KtProperty.isNonPublicInherited(): Boolean {
         if (!isPublic) {
             return true
         }
@@ -70,7 +95,7 @@ class ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty(config: Config = Config.empty) : Rule(confi
                 issue,
                 Entity.atName(property),
                 "The property ${property.nameAsSafeName} " +
-                    "is encapsulated and should not be referenced from KDoc comments."
+                    "is non-public and should not be referenced from KDoc comments."
             )
         )
     }
diff --git a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedPropertySpec.kt b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicPropertySpec.kt
similarity index 69%
rename from detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedPropertySpec.kt
rename to detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicPropertySpec.kt
index 9eeadd7059c..9d340dc9ec5 100644
--- a/detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/ReferencedEncapsulatedPropertySpec.kt
+++ b/detekt-rules-documentation/src/test/kotlin/io/gitlab/arturbosch/detekt/rules/documentation/KDocReferencesNonPublicPropertySpec.kt
@@ -2,56 +2,54 @@ package io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.rules.documentation
 
 import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.test.compileAndLint
 import org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat
-import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
 
-class ReferencedEncapsulatedPropertySpec {
-    val subject = ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty()
+class KDocReferencesNonPublicPropertySpec {
+    val subject = KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty()
 
-    @Nested
-    inner class `ReferencedEncapsulatedProperty rule` {
+    inner class `KDocReferencesNonPublicProperty rule` {
 
         @Test
-        fun `reports referenced encapsulated properties`() {
+        fun `reports referenced non-public properties`() {
             val code = """ 
             /**
              * Comment
-             * [prop1] - encapsulated property
+             * [prop1] - non-public property
              * [prop2] - public property
              */
             class Test {
-                private val prop1 = 0 // report
-                val prop2 = 0 // do not report
+                private val prop1 = 0
+                val prop2 = 0
             }
             """.trimIndent()
             assertThat(subject.compileAndLint(code)).hasSize(1)
         }
 
         @Test
-        fun `reports referenced encapsulated properties in private class`() {
+        fun `reports referenced non-public properties in private class`() {
             val code = """ 
             /**
              * Comment
-             * [prop1] - encapsulated property
+             * [prop1] - non-public property
              * [prop2] - public property
              */
             private class Test {
-                private val prop1 = 0 // report
-                val prop2 = 0 // do not report
+                private val prop1 = 0
+                val prop2 = 0
             }
             """.trimIndent()
             assertThat(subject.compileAndLint(code)).hasSize(1)
         }
 
         @Test
-        fun `reports referenced encapsulated properties in nested objects`() {
+        fun `reports referenced non-public properties in nested objects`() {
             val code = """ 
             /**
              * Comment
-             * [prop1] - encapsulated property
-             * [A.prop2] - encapsulated property
-             * [A.B.prop3] - encapsulated property
-             * [A.C.prop4] - encapsulated property
+             * [prop1] - non-public property
+             * [A.prop2] - non-public property
+             * [A.B.prop3] - non-public property
+             * [A.C.prop4] - non-public property
              */
             class Test {
                 private val prop1 = 0