diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_through_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_through_association.rb
index 08e0ec691f..604904abcc 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_through_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/has_one_through_association.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
           ensure_not_nested
 
           through_proxy  = owner.association(through_reflection.name)
-          through_record = through_proxy.send(:load_target)
+          through_record = through_proxy.load_target
 
           if through_record && !record
             through_record.destroy
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/associations_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/associations_test.rb
index 01a058918a..5fb7f191ed 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/associations_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/associations_test.rb
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ class AssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     ship = Ship.create!(:name => "The good ship Dollypop")
     part = ship.parts.create!(:name => "Mast")
     part.mark_for_destruction
-    ship.parts.send(:load_target)
     assert ship.parts[0].marked_for_destruction?
   end
 
@@ -54,7 +53,6 @@ class AssociationsTest < ActiveRecord::TestCase
     part = ship.parts.create!(:name => "Mast")
     part.mark_for_destruction
     ShipPart.find(part.id).update_columns(name: 'Deck')
-    ship.parts.send(:load_target)
     assert_equal 'Deck', ship.parts[0].name
   end
 
diff --git a/activerecord/test/cases/nested_attributes_test.rb b/activerecord/test/cases/nested_attributes_test.rb
index 11fb164d50..8a08056bbe 100644
--- a/activerecord/test/cases/nested_attributes_test.rb
+++ b/activerecord/test/cases/nested_attributes_test.rb
@@ -642,13 +642,13 @@ module NestedAttributesOnACollectionAssociationTests
   def test_should_not_overwrite_unsaved_updates_when_loading_association
     @pirate.reload
     @pirate.send(association_setter, [{ :id => @child_1.id, :name => 'Grace OMalley' }])
-    assert_equal 'Grace OMalley', @pirate.send(@association_name).send(:load_target).find { |r| r.id == @child_1.id }.name
+    assert_equal 'Grace OMalley', @pirate.send(@association_name).load_target.find { |r| r.id == @child_1.id }.name
   end
 
   def test_should_preserve_order_when_not_overwriting_unsaved_updates
     @pirate.reload
     @pirate.send(association_setter, [{ :id => @child_1.id, :name => 'Grace OMalley' }])
-    assert_equal @child_1.id, @pirate.send(@association_name).send(:load_target).first.id
+    assert_equal @child_1.id, @pirate.send(@association_name).load_target.first.id
   end
 
   def test_should_refresh_saved_records_when_not_overwriting_unsaved_updates
@@ -657,13 +657,13 @@ module NestedAttributesOnACollectionAssociationTests
     @pirate.send(@association_name) << record
     record.save!
     @pirate.send(@association_name).last.update!(name: 'Polly')
-    assert_equal 'Polly', @pirate.send(@association_name).send(:load_target).last.name
+    assert_equal 'Polly', @pirate.send(@association_name).load_target.last.name
   end
 
   def test_should_not_remove_scheduled_destroys_when_loading_association
     @pirate.reload
     @pirate.send(association_setter, [{ :id => @child_1.id, :_destroy => '1' }])
-    assert @pirate.send(@association_name).send(:load_target).find { |r| r.id == @child_1.id }.marked_for_destruction?
+    assert @pirate.send(@association_name).load_target.find { |r| r.id == @child_1.id }.marked_for_destruction?
   end
 
   def test_should_take_a_hash_with_composite_id_keys_and_assign_the_attributes_to_the_associated_models