diff --git a/include/cppkafka/consumer.h b/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
index 4748f96..8c3c899 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
@@ -193,13 +193,6 @@ public:
      */ 
     void unassign();
 
-    /**
-     * \brief Closes the consumer session
-     *
-     * This translates into a call to rd_kafka_consumer_close
-     */ 
-    void close();
-
     /**
      * \brief Commits the given message synchronously
      *
@@ -323,6 +316,7 @@ private:
     static void rebalance_proxy(rd_kafka_t *handle, rd_kafka_resp_err_t error,
                                 rd_kafka_topic_partition_list_t *partitions, void *opaque);
 
+    void close();
     void commit(const Message& msg, bool async);
     void commit(const TopicPartitionList& topic_partitions, bool async);
     void handle_rebalance(rd_kafka_resp_err_t err, TopicPartitionList& topic_partitions);
diff --git a/src/consumer.cpp b/src/consumer.cpp
index 3d1e2ab..96955b0 100644
--- a/src/consumer.cpp
+++ b/src/consumer.cpp
@@ -105,11 +105,6 @@ void Consumer::unassign() {
     check_error(error);
 }
 
-void Consumer::close() {
-    rd_kafka_resp_err_t error = rd_kafka_consumer_close(get_handle());
-    check_error(error);
-}
-
 void Consumer::commit(const Message& msg) {
     commit(msg, false);
 }
@@ -198,6 +193,11 @@ Message Consumer::poll() {
     return message ? Message(message) : Message();
 }
 
+void Consumer::close() {
+    rd_kafka_resp_err_t error = rd_kafka_consumer_close(get_handle());
+    check_error(error);
+}
+
 void Consumer::commit(const Message& msg, bool async) {
     rd_kafka_resp_err_t error;
     error = rd_kafka_commit_message(get_handle(), msg.get_handle(),