diff --git a/nashorn/src/jdk.scripting.nashorn/share/classes/jdk/nashorn/api/scripting/NashornException.java b/nashorn/src/jdk.scripting.nashorn/share/classes/jdk/nashorn/api/scripting/NashornException.java
index b082076e593..b8db1b7326d 100644
--- a/nashorn/src/jdk.scripting.nashorn/share/classes/jdk/nashorn/api/scripting/NashornException.java
+++ b/nashorn/src/jdk.scripting.nashorn/share/classes/jdk/nashorn/api/scripting/NashornException.java
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ public abstract class NashornException extends RuntimeException {
      * @param global the global
      * @return initialized exception
      */
-    protected NashornException initEcmaError(final ScriptObject global) {
+    NashornException initEcmaError(final ScriptObject global) {
         if (ecmaError != null) {
             return this; // initialized already!
         }