diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
index b225989c1..e1e5b7a2c 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/DataFormatter.java
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ public class DataFormatter implements Observer {
      * @param  localeIsAdapting (true only if locale is not user-specified)
      * @param  emulateCSV whether to emulate CSV output.
      */
-    private DataFormatter(Locale locale, boolean localeIsAdapting, boolean emulateCSV) {
+    public DataFormatter(Locale locale, boolean localeIsAdapting, boolean emulateCSV) {
         this.localeIsAdapting = true;
         localeChangedObservable.addObserver(this);
         // localeIsAdapting must be true prior to this first checkForLocaleChange call.