diff --git a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
index b6c26bf..e8ec50e 100755
--- a/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/ota_from_target_files.py
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@
       A string with placeholders for the metadata offset/size info, e.g.
       "payload.bin:679:343,payload_properties.txt:378:45,metadata:        ".
     """
-    return self._GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip, reserve_space=True)
+    return self.GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip, reserve_space=True)
 
   class InsufficientSpaceException(Exception):
     pass
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@
       InsufficientSpaceException: If the reserved length is insufficient to hold
           the final string.
     """
-    result = self._GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip, reserve_space=False)
+    result = self.GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip, reserve_space=False)
     if len(result) > reserved_length:
       raise self.InsufficientSpaceException(
           'Insufficient reserved space: reserved={}, actual={}'.format(
@@ -1074,12 +1074,22 @@
     Raises:
       AssertionError: On finding a mismatch.
     """
-    actual = self._GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip)
+    actual = self.GetPropertyFilesString(input_zip)
     assert actual == expected, \
         "Mismatching streaming metadata: {} vs {}.".format(actual, expected)
 
-  def _GetPropertyFilesString(self, zip_file, reserve_space=False):
-    """Constructs the property-files string per request."""
+  def GetPropertyFilesString(self, zip_file, reserve_space=False):
+    """
+    Constructs the property-files string per request.
+
+    Args:
+      zip_file: The input ZIP file.
+      reserved_length: The reserved length of the property-files string.
+
+    Returns:
+      A property-files string including the metadata offset/size info, e.g.
+      "payload.bin:679:343,payload_properties.txt:378:45,metadata:     ".
+    """
 
     def ComputeEntryOffsetSize(name):
       """Computes the zip entry offset and size."""
diff --git a/tools/releasetools/test_ota_from_target_files.py b/tools/releasetools/test_ota_from_target_files.py
index 0eb24b5..213e830 100644
--- a/tools/releasetools/test_ota_from_target_files.py
+++ b/tools/releasetools/test_ota_from_target_files.py
@@ -774,8 +774,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package(entries)
     property_files = TestPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
       streaming_metadata = property_files.Finalize(zip_fp, len(raw_metadata))
     tokens = self._parse_property_files_string(streaming_metadata)
@@ -798,8 +797,7 @@
     property_files = TestPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
       # First get the raw metadata string (i.e. without padding space).
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
       raw_length = len(raw_metadata)
 
@@ -833,8 +831,7 @@
     property_files = TestPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
       # First get the raw metadata string (i.e. without padding space).
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
 
       # Should pass the test if verification passes.
@@ -891,8 +888,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package(entries)
     property_files = StreamingPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
       streaming_metadata = property_files.Finalize(zip_fp, len(raw_metadata))
     tokens = self._parse_property_files_string(streaming_metadata)
@@ -915,8 +911,7 @@
     property_files = StreamingPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
       # First get the raw metadata string (i.e. without padding space).
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
 
       # Should pass the test if verification passes.
@@ -1051,8 +1046,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package_withValidPayload(with_metadata=True)
     property_files = AbOtaPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
       property_files_string = property_files.Finalize(zip_fp, len(raw_metadata))
 
@@ -1067,8 +1061,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package_withValidPayload(with_metadata=True)
     property_files = AbOtaPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file, 'r') as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
 
       property_files.Verify(zip_fp, raw_metadata)
@@ -1101,8 +1094,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package(entries)
     property_files = NonAbOtaPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file) as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
       property_files_string = property_files.Finalize(zip_fp, len(raw_metadata))
     tokens = self._parse_property_files_string(property_files_string)
@@ -1119,8 +1111,7 @@
     zip_file = self.construct_zip_package(entries)
     property_files = NonAbOtaPropertyFiles()
     with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_file) as zip_fp:
-      # pylint: disable=protected-access
-      raw_metadata = property_files._GetPropertyFilesString(
+      raw_metadata = property_files.GetPropertyFilesString(
           zip_fp, reserve_space=False)
 
       property_files.Verify(zip_fp, raw_metadata)