diff --git a/Arrangement_on_surface_2/include/CGAL/Arr_dcel_base.h b/Arrangement_on_surface_2/include/CGAL/Arr_dcel_base.h
index 314b852d34f..9ca21d78aa0 100644
--- a/Arrangement_on_surface_2/include/CGAL/Arr_dcel_base.h
+++ b/Arrangement_on_surface_2/include/CGAL/Arr_dcel_base.h
@@ -279,10 +279,8 @@ protected:
   };
 
   int                          flags;      // Face flags.
-public:
   Outer_ccbs_container         outer_ccbs; // The outer CCBs of the faces.
   Inner_ccbs_container         inner_ccbs; // The inner CCBs of the face.
-protected:
   Isolated_vertices_container  iso_verts;  // The isolated vertices inside
                                            // the face.
 
diff --git a/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_default_dcel.h b/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_default_dcel.h
index c1a59536f4b..d16024b74c8 100644
--- a/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_default_dcel.h
+++ b/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_default_dcel.h
@@ -116,6 +116,17 @@ public:
       m_info &= ~VISITED;
   }
 
+  typename Arr_face_base::Outer_ccbs_container&
+  _outer_ccbs()
+  {
+    return this->outer_ccbs;
+  }
+
+  typename Arr_face_base::Inner_ccbs_container&
+  _inner_ccbs()
+  {
+    return this->inner_ccbs;
+  }
 };
 
 
diff --git a/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_on_surface_base_2.h b/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_on_surface_base_2.h
index 92bdfd0d28e..b15a60c593c 100644
--- a/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_on_surface_base_2.h
+++ b/Boolean_set_operations_2/include/CGAL/Boolean_set_operations_2/Gps_on_surface_base_2.h
@@ -1149,12 +1149,12 @@ protected:
       }
 
       //collect for reuse/removal all inner and outer ccbs
-      BOOST_FOREACH(void* ptr, _face(*it)->outer_ccbs)
+      BOOST_FOREACH(void* ptr, _face(*it)->_outer_ccbs())
         outer_ccbs_to_remove.push_back( static_cast<typename Aos_2::Dcel::Halfedge*>(ptr)->outer_ccb() );
-      BOOST_FOREACH(void* ptr, _face(*it)->inner_ccbs)
+      BOOST_FOREACH(void* ptr, _face(*it)->_inner_ccbs())
         inner_ccbs_to_remove.push_back( static_cast<typename Aos_2::Dcel::Halfedge*>(ptr)->inner_ccb() );
-      _face(*it)->outer_ccbs.clear();
-      _face(*it)->inner_ccbs.clear();
+      _face(*it)->_outer_ccbs().clear();
+      _face(*it)->_inner_ccbs().clear();
     }
 
     // accessor for  low-level arrangement fonctionalities