diff --git a/Packets/PacketInterpreter.hh b/Packets/PacketInterpreter.hh
index d49510f52f5e8de7d509447944a2c23c0324bcf9..aed5c56d188619c4b1f1d5803d18232eaf119979 100644
--- a/Packets/PacketInterpreter.hh
+++ b/Packets/PacketInterpreter.hh
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ namespace senf {
         ptr appendClone(detail::PacketImpl * impl, iterator base, iterator new_base);
         ptr appendClone(detail::PacketImpl * impl, range r);
 
+    public:
+        // Need this for g++ < 4.0. Since PacketInterpreter is not publically visible, it should not
+        // be a real problem to make impl() public here
+        using PacketData::impl;
+
     private:
         // abstract packet type interface