diff --git a/src/common/packet.cc b/src/common/packet.cc
index a1b379781..8fd274a17 100644
--- a/src/common/packet.cc
+++ b/src/common/packet.cc
@@ -669,6 +669,19 @@ PacketTest::RunTests (void)
   CHECK (p, 2, E (1, 0, 1000), E(2, 0, 1000));
   CHECK (copy, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
 
+  {
+    Packet c0 = *copy;
+    Packet c1 = *copy;
+    c0 = c1;
+    CHECK (&c0, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
+    CHECK (&c1, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
+    CHECK (copy, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
+    c0.AddTag (ATestTag<10> ());
+    CHECK (&c0, 2, E (1, 0, 1000), E (10, 0, 1000));
+    CHECK (&c1, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
+    CHECK (copy, 1, E (1, 0, 1000));
+  }
+
   Ptr<Packet> frag0 = p->CreateFragment (0, 10);
   Ptr<Packet> frag1 = p->CreateFragment (10, 90);
   Ptr<const Packet> frag2 = p->CreateFragment (100, 900);
diff --git a/src/common/packet.h b/src/common/packet.h
index ec77dfc5a..e79d82125 100644
--- a/src/common/packet.h
+++ b/src/common/packet.h
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ public:
    * by getUid).
    */
   Packet ();
+  Packet (const Packet &o);
+  Packet &operator = (const Packet &o);  
   /**
    * Create a packet with a zero-filled payload.
    * The memory necessary for the payload is not allocated:
@@ -371,8 +373,6 @@ public:
 
 private:
   Packet (const Buffer &buffer, const TagList &tagList, const PacketMetadata &metadata);
-  Packet (const Packet &o);
-  Packet &operator = (const Packet &o);
   Buffer m_buffer;
   TagList m_tagList;
   PacketMetadata m_metadata;