diff --git a/lib/checkclass.cpp b/lib/checkclass.cpp
index 8b4456063..6b9362714 100644
--- a/lib/checkclass.cpp
+++ b/lib/checkclass.cpp
@@ -1408,14 +1408,7 @@ void CheckClass::privateFunctions()
 
         std::list<const Token *> FuncList;
         /** @todo embedded class have access to private functions */
-        int nested = 0;
-        std::list<SpaceInfo *>::const_iterator ni;
-        for (ni = info->nestedList.begin(); ni != info->nestedList.end(); ++ni)
-        {
-            if ((*ni)->type != SpaceInfo::Function)
-                nested++;
-        }
-        if (!nested)
+        if (!info->getNestedNonFunctions())
         {
             for (func = info->functionList.begin(); func != info->functionList.end(); ++func)
             {
diff --git a/lib/checkclass.h b/lib/checkclass.h
index e4ae9c510..49ac6ed3e 100644
--- a/lib/checkclass.h
+++ b/lib/checkclass.h
@@ -312,6 +312,24 @@ private:
             return 0;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * @brief get the number of nested spaces that are not functions
+         *
+         * This returns the number of user defined types (class, struct, union)
+         * that are defined in this user defined type or namespace.
+         */
+        unsigned int getNestedNonFunctions() const
+        {
+            unsigned int nested = 0;
+            std::list<SpaceInfo *>::const_iterator ni;
+            for (ni = nestedList.begin(); ni != nestedList.end(); ++ni)
+            {
+                if ((*ni)->type != SpaceInfo::Function)
+                    nested++;
+            }
+            return nested;
+        }
+
         bool isBaseClassFunc(const Token *tok);
     };