diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/PasswordHasher/Hasher/MessageDigestPasswordHasher.php b/src/Symfony/Component/PasswordHasher/Hasher/MessageDigestPasswordHasher.php
index 0dd18b276bdd..d6527e6523a6 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/PasswordHasher/Hasher/MessageDigestPasswordHasher.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/PasswordHasher/Hasher/MessageDigestPasswordHasher.php
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public function needsRehash(string $hashedPassword): bool
         return false;
     }
 
-    private function mergePasswordAndSalt(string $password, ?string $salt): string
+    protected function mergePasswordAndSalt(string $password, ?string $salt): string
     {
         if (!$salt) {
             return $password;