diff --git a/org.eclipse.xtext.ui/src/org/eclipse/xtext/ui/editor/XtextEditor.java b/org.eclipse.xtext.ui/src/org/eclipse/xtext/ui/editor/XtextEditor.java
index c1fd4b599e8..9b74de5d234 100755
--- a/org.eclipse.xtext.ui/src/org/eclipse/xtext/ui/editor/XtextEditor.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.xtext.ui/src/org/eclipse/xtext/ui/editor/XtextEditor.java
@@ -593,12 +593,12 @@ public void selectionChanged(final SelectionChangedEvent event) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private void installHighlightingHelper() {
+	protected void installHighlightingHelper() {
 		if (highlightingHelper != null)
 			highlightingHelper.install(this, (XtextSourceViewer) getSourceViewer());
 	}
 
-	private void uninstallHighlightingHelper() {
+	protected void uninstallHighlightingHelper() {
 		if (highlightingHelper != null)
 			highlightingHelper.uninstall();
 	}