diff --git a/include/wx/hashmap.h b/include/wx/hashmap.h
index 1715c403f8..f2a3f6642e 100644
--- a/include/wx/hashmap.h
+++ b/include/wx/hashmap.h
@@ -86,18 +86,18 @@ public: \
     /* should these be protected? */ \
     typedef const KEY_T const_key_type; \
     typedef const VALUE_T const_mapped_type; \
-public: \
+protected: \
     struct Node; \
     typedef KEY_EX_T key_extractor; \
     typedef CLASSNAME Self; \
-protected: \
+ \
     Node** m_table; \
     size_t m_tableBuckets; \
     size_t m_items; \
     hasher m_hasher; \
     key_equal m_equals; \
     key_extractor m_getKey; \
-public: \
+ \
     struct Node:public _wxHashTable_NodeBase \
     { \
     public: \
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ public: \
  \
     struct Iterator; \
     friend struct Iterator; \
-protected: \
+ \
     static void DeleteNode( _wxHashTable_NodeBase* node ) \
     { \
         delete (Node*)node; \
     } \
-public: \
+ \
     /*                  */ \
     /* forward iterator */ \
     /*                  */ \