diff --git a/include/iri_ros_tools/module.h b/include/iri_ros_tools/module.h
index eef27e581387ae94ae3bd7a98f3c5c4df3c4ef58..2e390d24b68a08ee4e5742c98d883b62f0ba2a05 100644
--- a/include/iri_ros_tools/module.h
+++ b/include/iri_ros_tools/module.h
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@
 template<class ModuleCfg>
 class CModule
 {
+  protected:
+    /* internal node handle */
+    ros::NodeHandle module_nh;
   private:
     std::string name;
     ros::Rate module_rate;
     CMutex module_access;
-    /* internal node handle */
-    ros::NodeHandle module_nh;
     /* reconfiguer attributes */
     dynamic_reconfigure::Server<ModuleCfg> dyn_reconf;
     /* thread attributes */