diff --git a/modules/ldap/lib/Auth/Process/BaseFilter.php b/modules/ldap/lib/Auth/Process/BaseFilter.php
index 6c6811e8cd7894642d41f4dfd62c043946fa5d6e..19f3f661f336b70976184985b59c2f602fc50b89 100644
--- a/modules/ldap/lib/Auth/Process/BaseFilter.php
+++ b/modules/ldap/lib/Auth/Process/BaseFilter.php
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ abstract class sspmod_ldap_Auth_Process_BaseFilter extends SimpleSAML_Auth_Proce
      * @param mixed $value
      * @return string
      */
-    public function var_export($value)
+    protected function var_export($value)
     {
         if (is_array($value)) {
             // remove sensitive data