diff --git a/lib/SimpleSAML/Metadata/MetaDataStorageHandler.php b/lib/SimpleSAML/Metadata/MetaDataStorageHandler.php
index fd672aa12e2e0e2b3b4d4c3f7558271b67b91ec8..e80ca42bfa1404b781a90bb619e20f0c903d453d 100644
--- a/lib/SimpleSAML/Metadata/MetaDataStorageHandler.php
+++ b/lib/SimpleSAML/Metadata/MetaDataStorageHandler.php
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ require_once('SimpleSAML/Utilities.php');
  * @package simpleSAMLphp
  * @version $Id$
  */ 
- class SimpleSAML_Metadata_MetaDataStorageHandler {
+abstract class SimpleSAML_Metadata_MetaDataStorageHandler {
 
 
 	protected $metadata = null;