diff --git a/DDCore/include/DD4hep/World.h b/DDCore/include/DD4hep/World.h
index 7b53db9e05547a12db9f9f5dcb92756e61ce10b5..2eaaf21b482ba3194cc981869238357495377046 100644
--- a/DDCore/include/DD4hep/World.h
+++ b/DDCore/include/DD4hep/World.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ namespace DD4hep {
      *  \ingroup DD4HEP_GEOMETRY
      */
     class World : public Handle<WorldObject>  {
-    protected:
+    public:
       /// Internal object type
       typedef WorldObject Object;
       /// Definition of the base handle type