diff --git a/xacc/compiler/GraphIR.hpp b/xacc/compiler/GraphIR.hpp
index 08e6003988fb31ceaedb46884513bc612836714b..85c58cc6ac31cd65987bd57f1a19ea0979416253 100644
--- a/xacc/compiler/GraphIR.hpp
+++ b/xacc/compiler/GraphIR.hpp
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ namespace xacc {
 template<typename DerivedGraph>
 class GraphIR : public IR {
 
+protected:
+
+	DerivedGraph graph;
+
 public:
 
 	GraphIR(DerivedGraph& g) :