diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.cpp b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.cpp
index d8f55f1e54..3794016ec8 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.cpp
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ bool AP_Compass_VRBRAIN::read(void)
         _count[i] = 0;
     }
 
-    last_update = _last_timestamp[_get_primary()];
+    last_update = _last_timestamp[get_primary()];
     
-    return _healthy[_get_primary()];
+    return _healthy[get_primary()];
 }
 
 void AP_Compass_VRBRAIN::accumulate(void)
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void AP_Compass_VRBRAIN::accumulate(void)
     }
 }
 
-uint8_t AP_Compass_VRBRAIN::_get_primary(void) const
+uint8_t AP_Compass_VRBRAIN::get_primary(void) const
 {
     if (_primary < _num_instances && _healthy[_primary]) {
         return _primary;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.h b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.h
index 0a560f926c..eabcc048b8 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Compass/AP_Compass_VRBRAIN.h
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ public:
     // return the number of compass instances
     uint8_t get_count(void) const { return _num_instances; }
 
-private:
+    // return the primary compass
     uint8_t _get_primary(void) const;
+
+private:
     uint8_t _num_instances;
     int _mag_fd[COMPASS_MAX_INSTANCES];
     Vector3f _sum[COMPASS_MAX_INSTANCES];