diff --git a/src/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview.h b/src/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview.h
index bd0050df5ef..07475257433 100644
--- a/src/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview.h
+++ b/src/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 QT_REQUIRE_CONFIG(itemviews);
 
+class tst_QHeaderView;
+
 QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 class QHeaderViewPrivate;
@@ -209,6 +211,7 @@ protected:
 
     friend class QTableView;
     friend class QTreeView;
+    friend class ::tst_QHeaderView;
 
 private:
     void initStyleOption(QStyleOptionFrame *option) const override;
diff --git a/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview/tst_qheaderview.cpp b/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview/tst_qheaderview.cpp
index 3d96ad1afc0..77584175ce0 100644
--- a/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview/tst_qheaderview.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qheaderview/tst_qheaderview.cpp
@@ -3335,32 +3335,30 @@ void tst_QHeaderView::testStylePosition()
     topLevel->show();
     QVERIFY(QTest::qWaitForWindowExposed(topLevel));
 
-    protected_QHeaderView *header = static_cast<protected_QHeaderView *>(view);
-
     TestStyle proxy;
-    header->setStyle(&proxy);
+    view->setStyle(&proxy);
 
     QImage image(1, 1, QImage::Format_ARGB32);
     QPainter p(&image);
 
     // 0, 1, 2, 3
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 0);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 0);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Beginning);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 1);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Middle);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Middle);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 3);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 3);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::End);
 
     // (0),2,1,3
     view->setSectionHidden(0, true);
     view->swapSections(1, 2);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 1);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Middle);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Beginning);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 3);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 3);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::End);
 
     // (1),2,0,(3)
@@ -3368,14 +3366,14 @@ void tst_QHeaderView::testStylePosition()
     view->setSectionHidden(0, false);
     view->setSectionHidden(1, true);
     view->swapSections(0, 1);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 0);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 0);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::End);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::Beginning);
 
     // (1),2,(0),(3)
     view->setSectionHidden(0, true);
-    header->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
+    view->paintSection(&p, view->rect(), 2);
     QCOMPARE(proxy.lastPosition, QStyleOptionHeader::OnlyOneSection);
 }