diff --git a/abstract_client.h b/abstract_client.h
index 12b5afc3db..bd39c4ae7f 100644
--- a/abstract_client.h
+++ b/abstract_client.h
@@ -513,6 +513,12 @@ protected:
     virtual bool isActiveFullScreen() const;
     virtual Layer layerForDock() const;
 
+    // electric border / quick tiling
+    void setElectricBorderMode(QuickTileMode mode);
+    QuickTileMode electricBorderMode() const {
+        return m_electricMode;
+    }
+
 private:
     void handlePaletteChange();
     QSharedPointer<TabBox::TabBoxClientImpl> m_tabBoxClient;
@@ -544,6 +550,9 @@ private:
     QList<AbstractClient*> m_transients;
     bool m_modal = false;
     Layer m_layer = UnknownLayer;
+
+    // electric border/quick tiling
+    QuickTileMode m_electricMode = QuickTileNone;
 };
 
 inline void AbstractClient::move(const QPoint& p, ForceGeometry_t force)
diff --git a/client.h b/client.h
index 9ea31bb227..493a4829b1 100644
--- a/client.h
+++ b/client.h
@@ -293,8 +293,6 @@ public:
     void resizeWithChecks(int w, int h, ForceGeometry_t force = NormalGeometrySet) override;
     void resizeWithChecks(int w, int h, xcb_gravity_t gravity, ForceGeometry_t force = NormalGeometrySet);
     void resizeWithChecks(const QSize& s, xcb_gravity_t gravity, ForceGeometry_t force = NormalGeometrySet);
-    void setElectricBorderMode(QuickTileMode mode);
-    QuickTileMode electricBorderMode() const;
     void setElectricBorderMaximizing(bool maximizing);
     bool isElectricBorderMaximizing() const;
     QRect electricBorderMaximizeGeometry(QPoint pos, int desktop);
@@ -761,7 +759,6 @@ private:
     friend class GeometryUpdatesBlocker;
 
     bool electricMaximizing;
-    QuickTileMode electricMode;
     QTimer* m_electricMaximizingDelay;
 
     friend bool performTransiencyCheck();
diff --git a/events.cpp b/events.cpp
index 3d4f33fdb7..5575487598 100644
--- a/events.cpp
+++ b/events.cpp
@@ -1355,7 +1355,7 @@ void Client::checkQuickTilingMaximizationZones(int xroot, int yroot)
         }
         break; // no point in checking other screens to contain this... "point"...
     }
-    if (mode != electricMode) {
+    if (mode != electricBorderMode()) {
         setElectricBorderMode(mode);
         if (innerBorder) {
             if (!m_electricMaximizingDelay) {
@@ -1364,7 +1364,7 @@ void Client::checkQuickTilingMaximizationZones(int xroot, int yroot)
                 m_electricMaximizingDelay->setSingleShot(true);
                 connect(m_electricMaximizingDelay, &QTimer::timeout, [this]() {
                     if (isMove())
-                        setElectricBorderMaximizing(electricMode != QuickTileNone);
+                        setElectricBorderMaximizing(electricBorderMode() != QuickTileNone);
                 });
             }
             m_electricMaximizingDelay->start();
diff --git a/geometry.cpp b/geometry.cpp
index b621e66d48..0007bfa401 100644
--- a/geometry.cpp
+++ b/geometry.cpp
@@ -2696,7 +2696,7 @@ void Client::finishMoveResize(bool cancel)
     }
 
     if (isElectricBorderMaximizing()) {
-        setQuickTileMode(electricMode);
+        setQuickTileMode(electricBorderMode());
         electricMaximizing = false;
     } else if (!cancel) {
         if (!(maximizeMode() & MaximizeHorizontal)) {
@@ -3177,7 +3177,7 @@ void Client::performMoveResize()
     emit clientStepUserMovedResized(this, moveResizeGeom);
 }
 
-void Client::setElectricBorderMode(QuickTileMode mode)
+void AbstractClient::setElectricBorderMode(QuickTileMode mode)
 {
     if (mode != QuickTileMaximize) {
         // sanitize the mode, ie. simplify "invalid" combinations
@@ -3186,12 +3186,7 @@ void Client::setElectricBorderMode(QuickTileMode mode)
         if ((mode & QuickTileVertical) == QuickTileVertical)
             mode &= ~QuickTileVertical;
     }
-    electricMode = mode;
-}
-
-Client::QuickTileMode Client::electricBorderMode() const
-{
-    return electricMode;
+    m_electricMode = mode;
 }
 
 bool Client::isElectricBorderMaximizing() const
@@ -3211,7 +3206,7 @@ void Client::setElectricBorderMaximizing(bool maximizing)
 
 QRect Client::electricBorderMaximizeGeometry(QPoint pos, int desktop)
 {
-    if (electricMode == QuickTileMaximize) {
+    if (electricBorderMode() == QuickTileMaximize) {
         if (maximizeMode() == MaximizeFull)
             return geometryRestore();
         else
@@ -3219,13 +3214,13 @@ QRect Client::electricBorderMaximizeGeometry(QPoint pos, int desktop)
     }
 
     QRect ret = workspace()->clientArea(MaximizeArea, pos, desktop);
-    if (electricMode & QuickTileLeft)
+    if (electricBorderMode() & QuickTileLeft)
         ret.setRight(ret.left()+ret.width()/2 - 1);
-    else if (electricMode & QuickTileRight)
+    else if (electricBorderMode() & QuickTileRight)
         ret.setLeft(ret.right()-(ret.width()-ret.width()/2) + 1);
-    if (electricMode & QuickTileTop)
+    if (electricBorderMode() & QuickTileTop)
         ret.setBottom(ret.top()+ret.height()/2 - 1);
-    else if (electricMode & QuickTileBottom)
+    else if (electricBorderMode() & QuickTileBottom)
         ret.setTop(ret.bottom()-(ret.height()-ret.height()/2) + 1);
 
     return ret;