diff --git a/eo/src/eoEvalFuncCounter.h b/eo/src/eoEvalFuncCounter.h
index fb28de59f..b8532e2a4 100644
--- a/eo/src/eoEvalFuncCounter.h
+++ b/eo/src/eoEvalFuncCounter.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ template<class EOT> class eoEvalFuncCounter : public eoEvalFunc<EOT>, public eoV
             }
         }
 
-    private :
+    protected :
         eoEvalFunc<EOT>& func;
 };