diff --git a/dbus/dbus-connection.c b/dbus/dbus-connection.c
index a960a99..bf7e4c9 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-connection.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-connection.c
@@ -1950,7 +1950,7 @@ _dbus_connection_send_preallocated_unlocked_no_update (DBusConnection       *con
   if (dbus_message_get_serial (message) == 0)
     {
       serial = _dbus_connection_get_next_client_serial (connection);
-      _dbus_message_set_serial (message, serial);
+      dbus_message_set_serial (message, serial);
       if (client_serial)
         *client_serial = serial;
     }
@@ -3208,7 +3208,7 @@ dbus_connection_send_with_reply (DBusConnection     *connection,
   if (serial == 0)
     {
       serial = _dbus_connection_get_next_client_serial (connection);
-      _dbus_message_set_serial (message, serial);
+      dbus_message_set_serial (message, serial);
     }
 
   if (!_dbus_pending_call_set_timeout_error_unlocked (pending, message, serial))
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-message-factory.c b/dbus/dbus-message-factory.c
index ceffc76..ef73a2a 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-message-factory.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-message-factory.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ generate_from_message (DBusString            *data,
                        DBusValidity          *expected_validity,
                        DBusMessage           *message)
 {
-  _dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1);
+  dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1);
   _dbus_message_lock (message);
 
   *expected_validity = DBUS_VALID;
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-message-internal.h b/dbus/dbus-message-internal.h
index 7661585..2e995b4 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-message-internal.h
+++ b/dbus/dbus-message-internal.h
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ void _dbus_message_get_network_data  (DBusMessage       *message,
 
 void        _dbus_message_lock                  (DBusMessage  *message);
 void        _dbus_message_unlock                (DBusMessage  *message);
-void        _dbus_message_set_serial            (DBusMessage  *message,
-                                                 dbus_uint32_t serial);
 dbus_bool_t _dbus_message_add_size_counter      (DBusMessage  *message,
                                                  DBusCounter  *counter);
 void        _dbus_message_add_size_counter_link (DBusMessage  *message,
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-message-util.c b/dbus/dbus-message-util.c
index 562190a..1e0b141 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-message-util.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-message-util.c
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@ _dbus_message_test (const char *test_data_dir)
                                              "TestMethod"));
   _dbus_assert (strcmp (dbus_message_get_path (message),
                         "/org/freedesktop/TestPath") == 0);
-  _dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1234);
+  dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1234);
 
   /* string length including nul byte not a multiple of 4 */
   if (!dbus_message_set_sender (message, "org.foo.bar1"))
@@ -1041,7 +1041,7 @@ _dbus_message_test (const char *test_data_dir)
                                           "/org/freedesktop/TestPath",
                                           "Foo.TestInterface",
                                           "TestMethod");
-  _dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1);
+  dbus_message_set_serial (message, 1);
   dbus_message_set_reply_serial (message, 5678);
 
   v_INT16 = -0x123;
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-message.c b/dbus/dbus-message.c
index 2871e5f..cfb73e6 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-message.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-message.c
@@ -163,12 +163,16 @@ _dbus_message_get_network_data (DBusMessage          *message,
  * Sets the serial number of a message.
  * This can only be done once on a message.
  *
+ * D-Bus will set this value for you when marshalling a message.
+ * This function will generally only be required when encapsulating D-Bus
+ * in another protocol.
+ *
  * @param message the message
  * @param serial the serial
  */
-void
-_dbus_message_set_serial (DBusMessage   *message,
-                          dbus_uint32_t  serial)
+void 
+dbus_message_set_serial (DBusMessage   *message,
+                         dbus_uint32_t  serial)
 {
   _dbus_assert (message != NULL);
   _dbus_assert (!message->locked);
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-message.h b/dbus/dbus-message.h
index d4e0799..081d9fa 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-message.h
+++ b/dbus/dbus-message.h
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ dbus_bool_t   dbus_message_has_sender       (DBusMessage   *message,
 dbus_bool_t   dbus_message_has_signature    (DBusMessage   *message,
                                              const char    *signature);
 dbus_uint32_t dbus_message_get_serial       (DBusMessage   *message);
+void          dbus_message_set_serial       (DBusMessage   *message, 
+                                             dbus_uint32_t serial);
 dbus_bool_t   dbus_message_set_reply_serial (DBusMessage   *message,
                                              dbus_uint32_t  reply_serial);
 dbus_uint32_t dbus_message_get_reply_serial (DBusMessage   *message);