diff --git a/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.cc b/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.cc
index 899a8816e..1689cabdf 100644
--- a/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.cc
+++ b/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.cc
@@ -239,9 +239,9 @@ RoutingSocket::io_event(XorpFd fd, IoEventType type)
 // Observe routing sockets activity
 //
 
-struct RoutingSocketPlumber {
+class RoutingSocketPlumber {
     typedef RoutingSocket::ObserverList ObserverList;
-
+    public:
     static void
     plumb(RoutingSocket& r, RoutingSocketObserver* o)
     {
diff --git a/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.hh b/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.hh
index 03b8e76f0..242102aac 100644
--- a/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.hh
+++ b/xorp/fea/data_plane/control_socket/routing_socket.hh
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 
 class RoutingSocketObserver;
-struct RoutingSocketPlumber;
+class RoutingSocketPlumber;
 
 /**
  * RoutingSocket class opens a routing socket and forwards data arriving