diff --git a/src/headerssync.cpp b/src/headerssync.cpp
index 757b942cd96..a3adfb4f701 100644
--- a/src/headerssync.cpp
+++ b/src/headerssync.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ static_assert(sizeof(CompressedHeader) == 48);
 
 HeadersSyncState::HeadersSyncState(NodeId id, const Consensus::Params& consensus_params,
         const CBlockIndex* chain_start, const arith_uint256& minimum_required_work) :
+    m_commit_offset(GetRand<unsigned>(HEADER_COMMITMENT_PERIOD)),
     m_id(id), m_consensus_params(consensus_params),
     m_chain_start(chain_start),
     m_minimum_required_work(minimum_required_work),
     m_current_chain_work(chain_start->nChainWork),
-    m_commit_offset(GetRand<unsigned>(HEADER_COMMITMENT_PERIOD)),
     m_last_header_received(m_chain_start->GetBlockHeader()),
     m_current_height(chain_start->nHeight)
 {
diff --git a/src/headerssync.h b/src/headerssync.h
index 16da9642462..e93f67e6da1 100644
--- a/src/headerssync.h
+++ b/src/headerssync.h
@@ -175,6 +175,13 @@ public:
      */
     CBlockLocator NextHeadersRequestLocator() const;
 
+protected:
+    /** The (secret) offset on the heights for which to create commitments.
+     *
+     * m_header_commitments entries are created at any height h for which
+     * (h % HEADER_COMMITMENT_PERIOD) == m_commit_offset. */
+    const unsigned m_commit_offset;
+
 private:
     /** Clear out all download state that might be in progress (freeing any used
      * memory), and mark this object as no longer usable.
@@ -222,12 +229,6 @@ private:
     /** A queue of commitment bits, created during the 1st phase, and verified during the 2nd. */
     bitdeque<> m_header_commitments;
 
-    /** The (secret) offset on the heights for which to create commitments.
-     *
-     * m_header_commitments entries are created at any height h for which
-     * (h % HEADER_COMMITMENT_PERIOD) == m_commit_offset. */
-    const unsigned m_commit_offset;
-
     /** m_max_commitments is a bound we calculate on how long an honest peer's chain could be,
      * given the MTP rule.
      *