diff --git a/js/ui/altTab.js b/js/ui/altTab.js
index 0130fa245..12b784939 100644
--- a/js/ui/altTab.js
+++ b/js/ui/altTab.js
@@ -365,8 +365,7 @@ class AppSwitcherPopup extends SwitcherPopup.SwitcherPopup {
             },
         });
         this._thumbnails = null;
-        if (this._switcherList._items[this._selectedIndex])
-            this._switcherList._items[this._selectedIndex].remove_accessible_state(Atk.StateType.EXPANDED);
+        this._switcherList.removeAccessibleState(this._selectedIndex, Atk.StateType.EXPANDED);
     }
 
     _createThumbnails() {
@@ -395,7 +394,7 @@ class AppSwitcherPopup extends SwitcherPopup.SwitcherPopup {
             },
         });
 
-        this._switcherList._items[this._selectedIndex].add_accessible_state(Atk.StateType.EXPANDED);
+        this._switcherList.addAccessibleState(this._selectedIndex, Atk.StateType.EXPANDED);
     }
 });
 
diff --git a/js/ui/switcherPopup.js b/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
index 5f2839cf2..46a4b158a 100644
--- a/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
+++ b/js/ui/switcherPopup.js
@@ -444,6 +444,14 @@ var SwitcherList = GObject.registerClass({
         this.emit('item-removed', index);
     }
 
+    addAccessibleState(index, state) {
+        this._items[index].add_accessible_state(state);
+    }
+
+    removeAccessibleState(index, state) {
+        this._items[index].remove_accessible_state(state);
+    }
+
     _onItemClicked(index) {
         this._itemActivated(index);
     }