diff --git a/include/boost/python/classes.hpp b/include/boost/python/classes.hpp
index 31af430f..2725ed7b 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/classes.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/classes.hpp
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ class BOOST_PYTHON_DECL_TEMPLATE meta_class
                    boost::python::detail::getattrable<
                       boost::python::detail::setattrable<
                          boost::python::detail::type_object<class_t<T> > > > > >,
-      boost::noncopyable
+      private boost::noncopyable
 {
  public:
     meta_class();
diff --git a/include/boost/python/converter/handle.hpp b/include/boost/python/converter/handle.hpp
index bc06be38..82e085b0 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/converter/handle.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/converter/handle.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL body;
 // The common base class for unwrap_ and wrap_ handle objects. They
 // share a common base so that handles can be linked into a chain
 // within a function wrapper which is managed by a single object.
-struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL handle : boost::noncopyable
+struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL handle : private boost::noncopyable
 {
  public: // member functions
 
diff --git a/include/boost/python/object/class.hpp b/include/boost/python/object/class.hpp
index 53d886fa..35280074 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/object/class.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/object/class.hpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ template <class T> struct holder;
 // To identify a class, we don't need cv/reference decorations
 typedef converter::undecorated_type_id_t class_id;
 
-struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL class_base : noncopyable
+struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL class_base : private noncopyable
 {
     // constructor
     class_base(
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL class_base : noncopyable
 };
 
 // Base class for all holders
-struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL instance_holder : noncopyable
+struct BOOST_PYTHON_DECL instance_holder : private noncopyable
 {
  public:
     instance_holder();
diff --git a/test/comprehensive.hpp b/test/comprehensive.hpp
index deb68a88..370f7d04 100644
--- a/test/comprehensive.hpp
+++ b/test/comprehensive.hpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ namespace bpl_test {
 // example: Foo, Bar, and Baz are C++ classes we want to wrap.
 //
 
-class Foo                // prohibit copying, proving that it doesn't choke 
-    : boost::noncopyable // our generation of to_python().
+class Foo                        // prohibit copying, proving that it doesn't choke 
+    : private boost::noncopyable // our generation of to_python().
 {
  public: // constructor/destructor
     Foo(int x) : m_x(x) {}