diff --git a/benchmark/QRDataBenchmark.php b/benchmark/QRDataBenchmark.php
index 0c689972e..8d4203a23 100644
--- a/benchmark/QRDataBenchmark.php
+++ b/benchmark/QRDataBenchmark.php
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ final class QRDataBenchmark extends BenchmarkAbstract{
 	}
 
 	public function initBitBuffer():void{
-		$this->bitBuffer = $this->qrData->getBitBuffer();
+		$this->bitBuffer = $this->qrData->bitBuffer;
 		$this->bitBuffer->read(4); // read data mode indicator
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/Data/QRData.php b/src/Data/QRData.php
index 064e437dd..32af66319 100644
--- a/src/Data/QRData.php
+++ b/src/Data/QRData.php
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ final class QRData{
 	/**
 	 * a BitBuffer instance
 	 */
-	private BitBuffer $bitBuffer;
+	private(set) BitBuffer $bitBuffer;
 
 	/**
 	 * an EccLevel instance
@@ -84,15 +84,6 @@ final class QRData{
 		return $this;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Returns the current BitBuffer instance
-	 *
-	 * @codeCoverageIgnore
-	 */
-	public function getBitBuffer():BitBuffer{
-		return $this->bitBuffer;
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Sets a BitBuffer object
 	 *
diff --git a/tests/Data/DataInterfaceTestAbstract.php b/tests/Data/DataInterfaceTestAbstract.php
index 02022978b..9a7baf072 100644
--- a/tests/Data/DataInterfaceTestAbstract.php
+++ b/tests/Data/DataInterfaceTestAbstract.php
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ abstract class DataInterfaceTestAbstract extends TestCase{
 		// invoke a QRData instance and write data
 		$this->QRData = new QRData($options, [$this->dataMode]);
 		// get the filled bitbuffer
-		$bitBuffer = $this->QRData->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer = $this->QRData->bitBuffer;
 		// read the first 4 bits
 		$this::assertSame($this->dataMode::DATAMODE, $bitBuffer->read(4));
 		// decode the data
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ abstract class DataInterfaceTestAbstract extends TestCase{
 		$this->dataMode    = static::getDataModeInterface($str);
 		$this->QRData      = new QRData($options, [$this->dataMode]);
 
-		$bitBuffer         = $this->QRData->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer         = $this->QRData->bitBuffer;
 
 		$this::assertSame($this->dataMode::DATAMODE, $bitBuffer->read(4));
 		$this::assertSame($str, $this->dataMode->decodeSegment($bitBuffer, $options->version));
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ abstract class DataInterfaceTestAbstract extends TestCase{
 		$this->dataMode    = static::getDataModeInterface($str);
 		$this->QRData      = new QRData($options, [$this->dataMode]);
 
-		$bitBuffer         = $this->QRData->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer         = $this->QRData->bitBuffer;
 
 		$this::assertLessThanOrEqual($eccLevel->getMaxBitsForVersion($version), $this->QRData->estimateTotalBitLength());
 
diff --git a/tests/Data/ECITest.php b/tests/Data/ECITest.php
index 957cf0c30..827c100ef 100644
--- a/tests/Data/ECITest.php
+++ b/tests/Data/ECITest.php
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ final class ECITest extends TestCase{
 		// invoke a QRData instance and write data
 		$this->QRData = new QRData($options, $segments);
 		// get the filled bitbuffer
-		$bitBuffer = $this->QRData->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer = $this->QRData->bitBuffer;
 		// read the first 4 bits
 		$this::assertSame($segments[0]::DATAMODE, $bitBuffer->read(4));
 		// decode the data
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ final class ECITest extends TestCase{
 		$segments    = $this->getDataSegments();
 		// follow the ECI segment by a non-8bit-byte segment
 		$segments[1] = new Hanzi(self::testData);
-		$bitBuffer   = new QRData($options, $segments)->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer   = new QRData($options, $segments)->bitBuffer;
 		// verify the ECI mode indicator
 		$this::assertSame(Mode::ECI, $bitBuffer->read(4));
 		// throw
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ final class ECITest extends TestCase{
 		$options->version = 5;
 
 		$segments  = [new ECI($id), new Byte($data)];
-		$bitBuffer = new QRData($options, $segments)->getBitBuffer();
+		$bitBuffer = new QRData($options, $segments)->bitBuffer;
 		$this::assertSame(Mode::ECI, $bitBuffer->read(4));
 		$this::assertSame($data, new ECI()->decodeSegment($bitBuffer, $options->version));
 	}