diff --git a/panda/src/char/character.cxx b/panda/src/char/character.cxx
index 4d6182fc00..00d17087be 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/character.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/char/character.cxx
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ dupe_for_flatten() const {
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: Character::combine_with
-//       Access: Public, Virtual
+//       Access: Published, Virtual
 //  Description: Collapses this node with the other node, if possible,
 //               and returns a pointer to the combined node, or NULL
 //               if the two nodes cannot safely be combined.
diff --git a/panda/src/char/character.h b/panda/src/char/character.h
index 2e59d418be..31a4a34c8b 100644
--- a/panda/src/char/character.h
+++ b/panda/src/char/character.h
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ public:
   virtual PandaNode *make_copy() const;
   virtual PandaNode *dupe_for_flatten() const;
 
-  virtual PandaNode *combine_with(PandaNode *other); 
   virtual bool cull_callback(CullTraverser *trav, CullTraverserData &data);
 
   virtual CPT(TransformState)
@@ -63,6 +62,8 @@ public:
                       Thread *current_thread) const;
 
 PUBLISHED:
+  virtual PandaNode *combine_with(PandaNode *other); 
+
   INLINE CharacterJointBundle *get_bundle(int i) const;
   void merge_bundles(PartBundle *old_bundle, PartBundle *other_bundle);
   void merge_bundles(PartBundleHandle *old_bundle_handle,