diff --git a/tempest/scenario/manager.py b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
index 81bbc38..3524245 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/manager.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/manager.py
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@
             security_groups_client = self.security_groups_client
         if project_id is None:
             project_id = security_groups_client.project_id
-        secgroup = self._create_empty_security_group(
+        secgroup = self.create_empty_security_group(
             namestart=namestart, client=security_groups_client,
             project_id=project_id)
 
@@ -1410,8 +1410,8 @@
             self.assertEqual(secgroup['id'], rule['security_group_id'])
         return secgroup
 
-    def _create_empty_security_group(self, client=None, project_id=None,
-                                     namestart='secgroup-smoke'):
+    def create_empty_security_group(self, client=None, project_id=None,
+                                    namestart='secgroup-smoke'):
         """Create a security group without rules.
 
         Default rules will be created:
diff --git a/tempest/scenario/test_security_groups_basic_ops.py b/tempest/scenario/test_security_groups_basic_ops.py
index 496a371..e078f23 100644
--- a/tempest/scenario/test_security_groups_basic_ops.py
+++ b/tempest/scenario/test_security_groups_basic_ops.py
@@ -197,14 +197,14 @@
         tenant.keypair = keypair
 
     def _create_tenant_security_groups(self, tenant):
-        access_sg = self._create_empty_security_group(
+        access_sg = self.create_empty_security_group(
             namestart='secgroup_access-',
             project_id=tenant.creds.project_id,
             client=tenant.manager.security_groups_client
         )
 
         # don't use default secgroup since it allows in-project traffic
-        def_sg = self._create_empty_security_group(
+        def_sg = self.create_empty_security_group(
             namestart='secgroup_general-',
             project_id=tenant.creds.project_id,
             client=tenant.manager.security_groups_client
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@
         new_tenant = self.primary_tenant
 
         # Create empty security group and add icmp rule in it
-        new_sg = self._create_empty_security_group(
+        new_sg = self.create_empty_security_group(
             namestart='secgroup_new-',
             project_id=new_tenant.creds.project_id,
             client=new_tenant.manager.security_groups_client)