diff --git a/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/model/CommentsTable.java b/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/model/CommentsTable.java
index 9f88818b3b..9ce61fbfb0 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/model/CommentsTable.java
+++ b/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/model/CommentsTable.java
@@ -286,19 +286,6 @@ public class CommentsTable extends POIXMLDocumentPart implements Comments {
         return false;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Add a new author to the CommentsTable.
-     * This does not check if the author already exists.
-     *
-     * @param author the name of the comment author
-     * @return the index of the new author
-     */
-    private int addNewAuthor(String author) {
-        int index = comments.getAuthors().sizeOfAuthorArray();
-        comments.getAuthors().insertAuthor(index, author);
-        return index;
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the underlying CTComments list xmlbean
      *
@@ -323,4 +310,17 @@ public class CommentsTable extends POIXMLDocumentPart implements Comments {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Add a new author to the CommentsTable.
+     * This does not check if the author already exists.
+     *
+     * @param author the name of the comment author
+     * @return the index of the new author
+     */
+    private int addNewAuthor(String author) {
+        int index = comments.getAuthors().sizeOfAuthorArray();
+        comments.getAuthors().insertAuthor(index, author);
+        return index;
+    }
 }