diff --git a/backoff.go b/backoff.go
index 36602caa..dc4858eb 100644
--- a/backoff.go
+++ b/backoff.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ type BackoffConfig struct {
 	jitter float64
 }
 
-func (bc *BackoffConfig) setDefaults() {
+func setDefaults(bc *BackoffConfig) {
 	md := bc.MaxDelay
 	*bc = DefaultBackoffConfig
 
diff --git a/backoff_test.go b/backoff_test.go
index 847858c1..bfca7b17 100644
--- a/backoff_test.go
+++ b/backoff_test.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import "testing"
 
 func TestBackoffConfigDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	b := BackoffConfig{}
-	b.setDefaults()
+	setDefaults(&b)
 	if b != DefaultBackoffConfig {
 		t.Fatalf("expected BackoffConfig to pickup default parameters: %v != %v", b, DefaultBackoffConfig)
 	}
diff --git a/clientconn.go b/clientconn.go
index 9b29eabd..6de86e9e 100644
--- a/clientconn.go
+++ b/clientconn.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func WithBackoffMaxDelay(md time.Duration) DialOption {
 func WithBackoffConfig(b BackoffConfig) DialOption {
 	// Set defaults to ensure that provided BackoffConfig is valid and
 	// unexported fields get default values.
-	b.setDefaults()
+	setDefaults(&b)
 	return withBackoff(b)
 }
 
diff --git a/clientconn_test.go b/clientconn_test.go
index 336ad4dd..b44f5b29 100644
--- a/clientconn_test.go
+++ b/clientconn_test.go
@@ -88,14 +88,14 @@ func TestWithBackoffConfigDefault(t *testing.T) {
 func TestWithBackoffConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	b := BackoffConfig{MaxDelay: DefaultBackoffConfig.MaxDelay / 2}
 	expected := b
-	expected.setDefaults() // defaults should be set
+	setDefaults(&expected) // defaults should be set
 	testBackoffConfigSet(t, &expected, WithBackoffConfig(b))
 }
 
 func TestWithBackoffMaxDelay(t *testing.T) {
 	md := DefaultBackoffConfig.MaxDelay / 2
 	expected := BackoffConfig{MaxDelay: md}
-	expected.setDefaults()
+	setDefaults(&expected)
 	testBackoffConfigSet(t, &expected, WithBackoffMaxDelay(md))
 }