diff --git a/lib/phpmailer/README_MOODLE.txt b/lib/phpmailer/README_MOODLE.txt
index 38d78d5d6bb..2d63c70fb44 100644
--- a/lib/phpmailer/README_MOODLE.txt
+++ b/lib/phpmailer/README_MOODLE.txt
@@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ test/
 Our changes:
  * Modified EncodeQP() in class.phpmailer.php to not use php's implementation of quoted
    printable encoding as it was causing problems for some users MDL-23240
-
+ * Changed PHPMailer::ReplyTo from private to public as it is used in moodlelib.php
diff --git a/lib/phpmailer/class.phpmailer.php b/lib/phpmailer/class.phpmailer.php
index 01359cf22ff..33ff55b4656 100644
--- a/lib/phpmailer/class.phpmailer.php
+++ b/lib/phpmailer/class.phpmailer.php
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ class PHPMailer {
   private   $to             = array();
   private   $cc             = array();
   private   $bcc            = array();
-  private   $ReplyTo        = array();
+  public   $ReplyTo        = array();
   private   $all_recipients = array();
   private   $attachment     = array();
   private   $CustomHeader   = array();