diff --git a/lib/devise/models/authenticatable.rb b/lib/devise/models/authenticatable.rb
index 2f295209..9755a387 100644
--- a/lib/devise/models/authenticatable.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/models/authenticatable.rb
@@ -94,6 +94,13 @@ module Devise
 
       protected
 
+        # Checks whether a password is needed or not. For validations only.
+        # Passwords are always required if it's a new record, or if the password
+        # or confirmation are being set somewhere.
+        def password_required?
+          new_record? || !password.nil? || !password_confirmation.nil?
+        end
+
         # Digests the password using the configured encryptor.
         def password_digest(password)
           self.class.encryptor_class.digest(password, self.class.stretches, self.password_salt, self.class.pepper)
diff --git a/lib/devise/models/validatable.rb b/lib/devise/models/validatable.rb
index a31276c6..737ec9a2 100644
--- a/lib/devise/models/validatable.rb
+++ b/lib/devise/models/validatable.rb
@@ -34,15 +34,6 @@ module Devise
                 "to the following methods: #{unavailable_validations.to_sentence}."
         end
       end
-
-      protected
-
-        # Checks whether a password is needed or not. For validations only.
-        # Passwords are always required if it's a new record, or if the password
-        # or confirmation are being set somewhere.
-        def password_required?
-          new_record? || !password.nil? || !password_confirmation.nil?
-        end
     end
   end
 end