diff --git a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/XmlStringBuilder.java b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/XmlStringBuilder.java
index c033a84b2..e59e8e423 100644
--- a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/XmlStringBuilder.java
+++ b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/XmlStringBuilder.java
@@ -461,11 +461,11 @@ public class XmlStringBuilder implements Appendable, CharSequence, Element {
         return escape(text.toString());
     }
 
-    public XmlStringBuilder prelude(FullyQualifiedElement pe) {
+    protected XmlStringBuilder prelude(FullyQualifiedElement pe) {
         return prelude(pe.getElementName(), pe.getNamespace());
     }
 
-    public XmlStringBuilder prelude(String elementName, String namespace) {
+    protected XmlStringBuilder prelude(String elementName, String namespace) {
         halfOpenElement(elementName);
         xmlnsAttribute(namespace);
         return this;