diff --git a/dumux/discretization/staggered/fvelementgeometry.hh b/dumux/discretization/staggered/fvelementgeometry.hh
index ed0156e618f67a5aa0a5c4aa64a969bb1eea3bc1..e23f7f0471dffadf7a7b2de2fa92061cdc6c5a16 100644
--- a/dumux/discretization/staggered/fvelementgeometry.hh
+++ b/dumux/discretization/staggered/fvelementgeometry.hh
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ class StaggeredFVElementGeometry<GG, true> : public CCTpfaFVElementGeometry<GG,
     using GridIndexType = typename IndexTraits<GridView>::GridIndex;
     using LocalIndexType = typename IndexTraits<GridView>::LocalIndex;
 public:
+    //! export type of the element
+    using Element = typename GridView::template Codim<0>::Entity;
     //! export type of subcontrol volume face
     using SubControlVolumeFace = typename GG::SubControlVolumeFace;
 
@@ -91,8 +93,9 @@ class StaggeredFVElementGeometry<GG, false>
     using GridView = typename GG::GridView;
     using GridIndexType = typename IndexTraits<GridView>::GridIndex;
     using LocalIndexType = typename IndexTraits<GridView>::LocalIndex;
-    using Element = typename GridView::template Codim<0>::Entity;
 public:
+    //! export type of the element
+    using Element = typename GridView::template Codim<0>::Entity;
     //! export type of subcontrol volume
     using SubControlVolume = typename GG::SubControlVolume;
     //! export type of subcontrol volume face