diff --git a/libraries/MQTTClient/EthernetStack.h b/libraries/MQTTClient/EthernetStack.h
index b855d87d380..5782051d95a 100644
--- a/libraries/MQTTClient/EthernetStack.h
+++ b/libraries/MQTTClient/EthernetStack.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class EthernetStack
         return 0;
     }
 
-private:
+protected:
 
     EthernetClient client;
     
diff --git a/libraries/MQTTClient/WifiIPStack.h b/libraries/MQTTClient/WifiIPStack.h
index 8cc00417fb7..9196e277507 100644
--- a/libraries/MQTTClient/WifiIPStack.h
+++ b/libraries/MQTTClient/WifiIPStack.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class WifiIPStack
         return 0;
     }
     
-private:
+protected:
 
     WiFiClient iface;