diff --git a/dune/gfe/geodesicfeassembler.hh b/dune/gfe/geodesicfeassembler.hh
index 017ee77adcdf6916475cb8e2c10e72ed611d5c08..c6e07f1247ad1ad9a8add192eb2ff43b506c8ab7 100644
--- a/dune/gfe/geodesicfeassembler.hh
+++ b/dune/gfe/geodesicfeassembler.hh
@@ -26,10 +26,11 @@ class GeodesicFEAssembler {
     //!
     typedef Dune::FieldMatrix<double, blocksize, blocksize> MatrixBlock;
 
-protected:
-
+public:
     const Basis basis_;
 
+protected:
+
     LocalGeodesicFEStiffness<GridView,
                              typename Basis::LocalFiniteElement,
                              TargetSpace>* localStiffness_;