diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/FieldComparatorSource.java b/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/FieldComparatorSource.java
index 2c1c04c6fdd..d1df034bc89 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/FieldComparatorSource.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/lucene/search/FieldComparatorSource.java
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ public abstract class FieldComparatorSource {
    * @throws IOException
    *           If an error occurs reading the index.
    */
-  abstract FieldComparator newComparator(String fieldname, IndexReader[] subReaders, int numHits, int sortPos, boolean reversed)
+  public abstract FieldComparator newComparator(String fieldname, IndexReader[] subReaders, int numHits, int sortPos, boolean reversed)
       throws IOException;
 }