diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vfs/newvfs/VfsImplUtil.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vfs/newvfs/VfsImplUtil.java
index 521ee8f82441..1e35bff23812 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vfs/newvfs/VfsImplUtil.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/vfs/newvfs/VfsImplUtil.java
@@ -191,8 +191,9 @@ public class VfsImplUtil {
     return getHandler(vfs, localPath, producer);
   }
 
+  //made public for Kotlin
   @NotNull
-  private static <T extends ArchiveHandler> T getHandler(@NotNull ArchiveFileSystem vfs,
+  public static <T extends ArchiveHandler> T getHandler(@NotNull ArchiveFileSystem vfs,
                                                          @NotNull String localPath,
                                                          @NotNull Function<String, T> producer) {
     checkSubscription();