diff --git a/tests/repository_simulator.py b/tests/repository_simulator.py
index 4e530cd3..6377fe0a 100644
--- a/tests/repository_simulator.py
+++ b/tests/repository_simulator.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def fetch(self, url: str) -> Iterator[bytes]:
                 role = ver_and_name
                 version = None
 
-            yield self._fetch_metadata(role, version)
+            yield self.fetch_metadata(role, version)
         elif path.startswith("/targets/"):
             # figure out target path and hash prefix
             target_path = path[len("/targets/") :]
@@ -228,11 +228,11 @@ def fetch(self, url: str) -> Iterator[bytes]:
                 prefix, _, filename = prefixed_filename.partition(".")
             target_path = f"{dir_parts}{sep}{filename}"
 
-            yield self._fetch_target(target_path, prefix)
+            yield self.fetch_target(target_path, prefix)
         else:
             raise FetcherHTTPError(f"Unknown path '{path}'", 404)
 
-    def _fetch_target(
+    def fetch_target(
         self, target_path: str, target_hash: Optional[str]
     ) -> bytes:
         """Return data for 'target_path', checking 'target_hash' if it is given.
@@ -253,9 +253,7 @@ def _fetch_target(
         logger.debug("fetched target %s", target_path)
         return repo_target.data
 
-    def _fetch_metadata(
-        self, role: str, version: Optional[int] = None
-    ) -> bytes:
+    def fetch_metadata(self, role: str, version: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
         """Return signed metadata for 'role', using 'version' if it is given.
 
         If version is None, non-versioned metadata is being requested.
@@ -298,7 +296,7 @@ def _fetch_metadata(
     def _compute_hashes_and_length(
         self, role: str
     ) -> Tuple[Dict[str, str], int]:
-        data = self._fetch_metadata(role)
+        data = self.fetch_metadata(role)
         digest_object = sslib_hash.digest(sslib_hash.DEFAULT_HASH_ALGORITHM)
         digest_object.update(data)
         hashes = {sslib_hash.DEFAULT_HASH_ALGORITHM: digest_object.hexdigest()}
@@ -392,12 +390,12 @@ def write(self) -> None:
 
         for ver in range(1, len(self.signed_roots) + 1):
             with open(os.path.join(dest_dir, f"{ver}.root.json"), "wb") as f:
-                f.write(self._fetch_metadata(Root.type, ver))
+                f.write(self.fetch_metadata(Root.type, ver))
 
         for role in [Timestamp.type, Snapshot.type, Targets.type]:
             with open(os.path.join(dest_dir, f"{role}.json"), "wb") as f:
-                f.write(self._fetch_metadata(role))
+                f.write(self.fetch_metadata(role))
 
         for role in self.md_delegates:
             with open(os.path.join(dest_dir, f"{role}.json"), "wb") as f:
-                f.write(self._fetch_metadata(role))
+                f.write(self.fetch_metadata(role))
diff --git a/tests/test_updater_key_rotations.py b/tests/test_updater_key_rotations.py
index 3dc31994..66173a66 100644
--- a/tests/test_updater_key_rotations.py
+++ b/tests/test_updater_key_rotations.py
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def test_non_root_rotations(self, md_version: MdVersion) -> None:
                 self._run_refresh()
 
                 # Call fetch_metadata to sign metadata with new keys
-                expected_local_md: bytes = self.sim._fetch_metadata(role)
+                expected_local_md: bytes = self.sim.fetch_metadata(role)
                 # assert local metadata role is on disk as expected
                 md_path = os.path.join(self.metadata_dir, f"{role}.json")
                 with open(md_path, "rb") as f:
diff --git a/tests/test_updater_top_level_update.py b/tests/test_updater_top_level_update.py
index ba58e4ca..ee61a3f4 100644
--- a/tests/test_updater_top_level_update.py
+++ b/tests/test_updater_top_level_update.py
@@ -90,8 +90,7 @@ def _assert_content_equals(
         self, role: str, version: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> None:
         """Assert that local file content is the expected"""
-        # pylint: disable=protected-access
-        expected_content = self.sim._fetch_metadata(role, version)
+        expected_content = self.sim.fetch_metadata(role, version)
         with open(os.path.join(self.metadata_dir, f"{role}.json"), "rb") as f:
             self.assertEqual(f.read(), expected_content)