diff --git a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/SASLAuthentication.java b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/SASLAuthentication.java
index 9c59c01ea..73a2e4b37 100644
--- a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/SASLAuthentication.java
+++ b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/SASLAuthentication.java
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ public final class SASLAuthentication {
         authenticationFailed(new SASLErrorException(currentMechanism.getName(), saslFailure));
     }
 
-    public void authenticationFailed(Exception exception) {
+    private void authenticationFailed(Exception exception) {
         saslException = exception;
         // Wake up the thread that is waiting in the #authenticate method
         synchronized (this) {