diff --git a/libs/hwui/AutoBackendTextureRelease.h b/libs/hwui/AutoBackendTextureRelease.h
index c9bb767..f0eb2a8 100644
--- a/libs/hwui/AutoBackendTextureRelease.h
+++ b/libs/hwui/AutoBackendTextureRelease.h
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 namespace android {
 namespace uirenderer {
 
+// Friend TestUtils serves as a proxy for any test cases that require access to private members.
+class TestUtils;
+
 /**
  * AutoBackendTextureRelease manages EglImage/VkImage lifetime. It is a ref-counted object
  * that keeps GPU resources alive until the last SkImage object using them is destroyed.
@@ -66,6 +69,9 @@
 
     // mImage is the SkImage created from mBackendTexture.
     sk_sp<SkImage> mImage;
+
+    // Friend TestUtils serves as a proxy for any test cases that require access to private members.
+    friend class TestUtils;
 };
 
 } /* namespace uirenderer */