diff --git a/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/overrides/IrOverridingUtil.kt b/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/overrides/IrOverridingUtil.kt
index 88bbc86a8f0..826cedb9c53 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/overrides/IrOverridingUtil.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/overrides/IrOverridingUtil.kt
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ class IrOverridingUtil(
             "Unexpected fake override accessor kind: $this"
         }
         // For descriptors it gets INVISIBLE_FAKE.
-        if (newVisibility == Visibilities.PRIVATE) return null
+        if (this.visibility == Visibilities.PRIVATE) return null
 
         this.visibility = newVisibility
         this.modality = newModality