diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/BaseResourceCollectionContainer.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/BaseResourceCollectionContainer.java
index a28d41425..d09a44b56 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/BaseResourceCollectionContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/types/resources/BaseResourceCollectionContainer.java
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ public abstract class BaseResourceCollectionContainer
      * Get the nested ResourceCollections.
      * @return List.
      */
-    protected final synchronized List getResourceCollections() {
+    public final synchronized List getResourceCollections() {
         dieOnCircularReference();
         return Collections.unmodifiableList(rc);
     }