diff --git a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
index bbc79301d3..ef34811f20 100644
--- a/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
+++ b/ionic/components/tabs/tabs.ts
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ export class Tabs extends Ion {
   }
 
   /**
+   * @private
    * Returns the root NavController. Returns `null` if Tabs is not
    * within a NavController.
    * @returns {NavController}