diff --git a/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py b/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
index c025b0979..0249c856b 100644
--- a/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/autoscaler/command_runner.py
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ class SSHCommandRunner(CommandRunnerInterface):
         else:
             return self.provider.external_ip(self.node_id)
 
-    def wait_for_ip(self, deadline):
+    def _wait_for_ip(self, deadline):
         # if we have IP do not print waiting info
         ip = self._get_node_ip()
         if ip is not None:
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ class SSHCommandRunner(CommandRunnerInterface):
         #   I think that's reasonable.
         deadline = time.time() + NODE_START_WAIT_S
         with LogTimer(self.log_prefix + "Got IP"):
-            ip = self.wait_for_ip(deadline)
+            ip = self._wait_for_ip(deadline)
 
             cli_logger.doassert(ip is not None,
                                 "Could not get node IP.")  # todo: msg
diff --git a/python/ray/tests/test_command_runner.py b/python/ray/tests/test_command_runner.py
index 2e747d882..977b2e299 100644
--- a/python/ray/tests/test_command_runner.py
+++ b/python/ray/tests/test_command_runner.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import pytest
 from ray.tests.test_autoscaler import MockProvider, MockProcessRunner
-from ray.autoscaler.command_runner import SSHCommandRunner, \
-    _with_environment_variables, DockerCommandRunner, KubernetesCommandRunner
+from ray.autoscaler.command_runner import CommandRunnerInterface, \
+    SSHCommandRunner, _with_environment_variables, DockerCommandRunner, \
+    KubernetesCommandRunner
 from ray.autoscaler.docker import DOCKER_MOUNT_PREFIX
 from getpass import getuser
 import hashlib
@@ -27,6 +28,33 @@ def test_environment_variable_encoder_dict():
     assert res == expected
 
 
+def test_command_runner_interface_abstraction_violation():
+    """Enforces the CommandRunnerInterface functions on the subclasses.
+
+    This is important to make sure the subclasses do not violate the
+    function abstractions. If you need to add a new function to one of
+    the CommandRunnerInterface subclasses, you have to add it to
+    CommandRunnerInterface and all of its subclasses.
+    """
+
+    cmd_runner_interface_public_functions = dir(CommandRunnerInterface)
+    allowed_public_interface_functions = {
+        func
+        for func in cmd_runner_interface_public_functions
+        if not func.startswith("_")
+    }
+    for subcls in [
+            SSHCommandRunner, DockerCommandRunner, KubernetesCommandRunner
+    ]:
+        subclass_available_functions = dir(subcls)
+        subclass_public_functions = {
+            func
+            for func in subclass_available_functions
+            if not func.startswith("_")
+        }
+        assert allowed_public_interface_functions == subclass_public_functions
+
+
 def test_ssh_command_runner():
     process_runner = MockProcessRunner()
     provider = MockProvider()