diff --git a/milli/src/external_documents_ids.rs b/milli/src/external_documents_ids.rs
index a002fc064..e0a71b7cd 100644
--- a/milli/src/external_documents_ids.rs
+++ b/milli/src/external_documents_ids.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub struct DocumentOperation {
     pub kind: DocumentOperationKind,
 }
 
-pub struct ExternalDocumentsIds(pub Database<Str, OwnedType<BEU32>>);
+pub struct ExternalDocumentsIds(Database<Str, OwnedType<BEU32>>);
 
 impl ExternalDocumentsIds {
     pub fn new(db: Database<Str, OwnedType<BEU32>>) -> ExternalDocumentsIds {
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ impl ExternalDocumentsIds {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    /// Returns an iterator over all the external ids.
+    pub fn iter<'t>(&self, rtxn: &'t RoTxn) -> heed::Result<RoIter<'t, Str, OwnedType<BEU32>>> {
+        self.0.iter(rtxn)
+    }
 }
 
 /// An iterator over mappings between requested internal ids and external ids.
diff --git a/milli/src/update/index_documents/transform.rs b/milli/src/update/index_documents/transform.rs
index 2eec69da5..7c500799d 100644
--- a/milli/src/update/index_documents/transform.rs
+++ b/milli/src/update/index_documents/transform.rs
@@ -799,7 +799,7 @@ impl<'a, 'i> Transform<'a, 'i> {
         let mut obkv_buffer = Vec::new();
         let mut document_sorter_key_buffer = Vec::new();
         let mut document_sorter_value_buffer = Vec::new();
-        for result in self.index.external_documents_ids().0.iter(wtxn)? {
+        for result in self.index.external_documents_ids().iter(wtxn)? {
             let (external_id, docid) = result?;
             let obkv = self.index.documents.get(wtxn, &docid)?.ok_or(
                 InternalError::DatabaseMissingEntry { db_name: db_name::DOCUMENTS, key: None },