diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
index add2722d9c..36699e3cc5 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.cpp
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::open(cdev::file_t *filp)
 		/* If there were any previous publications, allow the subscriber to read them */
 		sd->generation = _generation - (_queue_size < _generation ? _queue_size : _generation);
 
-		/* set priority */
-		sd->set_priority(_priority);
-
 		FILE_PRIV(filp) = (void *)sd;
 
 		ret = CDev::open(filp);
@@ -215,9 +212,6 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::read(cdev::file_t *filp, char *buffer, size_t buflen)
 		++sd->generation;
 	}
 
-	/* set priority */
-	sd->set_priority(_priority);
-
 	/*
 	 * Clear the flag that indicates that an update has been reported, as
 	 * we have just collected it.
@@ -362,7 +356,7 @@ uORB::DeviceNode::ioctl(cdev::file_t *filp, int cmd, unsigned long arg)
 		return PX4_OK;
 
 	case ORBIOCGPRIORITY:
-		*(int *)arg = sd->priority();
+		*(int *)arg = get_priority();
 		return PX4_OK;
 
 	case ORBIOCSETQUEUESIZE:
diff --git a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
index c480729779..cd1070ab54 100644
--- a/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
+++ b/src/modules/uORB/uORBDeviceNode.hpp
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ public:
 	unsigned int published_message_count() const { return _generation; }
 	const struct orb_metadata *get_meta() const { return _meta; }
 
+	int get_priority() const { return _priority; }
 	void set_priority(uint8_t priority) { _priority = priority; }
 
 protected:
@@ -196,9 +197,6 @@ private:
 		int   flags; /**< lowest 8 bits: priority of publisher, 9. bit: update_reported bit */
 		UpdateIntervalData *update_interval; /**< if null, no update interval */
 
-		int priority() const { return flags & 0xff; }
-		void set_priority(uint8_t prio) { flags = (flags & ~0xff) | prio; }
-
 		bool update_reported() const { return flags & (1 << 8); }
 		void set_update_reported(bool update_reported_flag) { flags = (flags & ~(1 << 8)) | (((int)update_reported_flag) << 8); }
 	};