diff --git a/src/geodesicfeassembler.hh b/src/geodesicfeassembler.hh
index 10a060719f8b3adbd4119814c8db1f798b49e268..44019727334b124d358bd8ce3694887e3133c44c 100644
--- a/src/geodesicfeassembler.hh
+++ b/src/geodesicfeassembler.hh
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ class GeodesicFEAssembler {
     
     const GridView gridView_; 
 
+protected:
+
     LocalGeodesicFEStiffness<GridView,TargetSpace>* localStiffness_;
 
 public: