diff --git a/elfio/elfio_section.hpp b/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
index 07c3871..7aeb0d2 100644
--- a/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
+++ b/elfio/elfio_section.hpp
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ class section
     virtual void        set_data( const std::string& data )             = 0;
     virtual void        append_data( const char* pData, Elf_Word size ) = 0;
     virtual void        append_data( const std::string& data )          = 0;
+    virtual size_t      get_stream_size() const                         = 0;
+    virtual void        set_stream_size( size_t value )                 = 0;
 
   protected:
     ELFIO_SET_ACCESS_DECL( Elf64_Off, offset );
@@ -178,6 +180,12 @@ template <class T> class section_impl : public section
         return append_data( str_data.c_str(), (Elf_Word)str_data.size() );
     }
 
+    //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    size_t get_stream_size() const override { return stream_size; }
+
+    //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    void set_stream_size( size_t value ) override { stream_size = value; }
+
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   protected:
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -238,12 +246,6 @@ template <class T> class section_impl : public section
         }
     }
 
-    //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    size_t get_stream_size() const { return stream_size; }
-
-    //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    void set_stream_size( size_t value ) { stream_size = value; }
-
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   private:
     //------------------------------------------------------------------------------