diff --git a/lib/redistat/buffer.rb b/lib/redistat/buffer.rb
index 13bc3b3..b78c4e7 100644
--- a/lib/redistat/buffer.rb
+++ b/lib/redistat/buffer.rb
@@ -13,10 +13,6 @@ module Redistat
     end
     attr_writer :size
     
-    def queue
-      @queue ||= {}
-    end
-    
     def store(key, stats, depth_limit, opts)
       return false unless should_buffer?
       
@@ -52,6 +48,10 @@ module Redistat
     
     private
     
+    def queue
+      @queue ||= {}
+    end
+    
     def should_buffer?
       size > 1 # buffer size of 1 would be equal to not using buffer
     end
diff --git a/spec/buffer_spec.rb b/spec/buffer_spec.rb
index 9158464..43bd73a 100644
--- a/spec/buffer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/buffer_spec.rb
@@ -30,20 +30,20 @@ describe Redistat::Buffer do
   
   it "should only flush buffer if buffer size is greater than or equal to buffer size setting" do
     @buffer.size.should == 0
-    @buffer.queue.size.should == 0
+    @buffer.send(:queue).size.should == 0
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_false
-    @buffer.queue[:hello] = 'world'
+    @buffer.send(:queue)[:hello] = 'world'
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_true
     @buffer.size = 5
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_false
-    3.times { |i| @buffer.queue[i] = i.to_s }
+    3.times { |i| @buffer.send(:queue)[i] = i.to_s }
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_false
-    @buffer.queue[4] = '4'
+    @buffer.send(:queue)[4] = '4'
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_true
   end
   
   it "should force flush queue irregardless of result of #should_flush? when #reset_queue is called with true" do
-    @buffer.queue[:hello] = 'world'
+    @buffer.send(:queue)[:hello] = 'world'
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_true
     @buffer.size = 2
     @buffer.send(:should_flush?).should be_false