diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractBeanFactory.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractBeanFactory.java
index 136d6f0123f..a8731c75119 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractBeanFactory.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/support/AbstractBeanFactory.java
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractBeanFactory extends FactoryBeanRegistrySupport imp
 	 * @throws BeansException if the bean could not be created
 	 */
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	private <T> T doGetBean(
+	protected <T> T doGetBean(
 			final String name, final Class<T> requiredType, final Object[] args, boolean typeCheckOnly)
 			throws BeansException {