diff --git a/dumux/discretization/fem/feelementgeometry.hh b/dumux/discretization/fem/feelementgeometry.hh
index 2c32adab743260db39ae97a4cf9a3abe6fb44c31..485a5c51ec3a56f37d6eebac43222da9242283b4 100644
--- a/dumux/discretization/fem/feelementgeometry.hh
+++ b/dumux/discretization/fem/feelementgeometry.hh
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@ template<class GridGeometry>
 class FEElementGeometry
 {
     using GridView = typename GridGeometry::GridView;
-    using Element = typename GridView::template Codim<0>::Entity;
 
     using FEBasis = typename GridGeometry::FEBasis;
     using FEBasisLocalView = typename FEBasis::LocalView;
 
 public:
+    //! export type of the element
+    using Element = typename GridView::template Codim<0>::Entity;
+
     //! constructor taking grid geometry
     FEElementGeometry(const GridGeometry& gg)
     : gridGeometry_(gg)