diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedUpdateProcessor.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedUpdateProcessor.java
index fe6f44501e7..11465d63996 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedUpdateProcessor.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedUpdateProcessor.java
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ protected Replica.Type computeReplicaType() {
     return Replica.Type.NRT;
   }
 
-  boolean isLeader() {
+  public boolean isLeader() {
     return isLeader;
   }
 
@@ -995,9 +995,12 @@ private void doLocalDeleteByQuery(
     }
   }
 
-  // internal helper method to setup request by processors who use this class.
-  // NOTE: not called by this class!
-  void setupRequest(UpdateCommand cmd) {
+  /**
+   * Set up / initialize. Exposed for other processors to determine {@link #isLeader()} afterward.
+   *
+   * @lucene.internal
+   */
+  public void setupRequest(UpdateCommand cmd) {
     isLeader = getNonZkLeaderAssumption(req);
   }
 
diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedZkUpdateProcessor.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedZkUpdateProcessor.java
index 49c9fc717a7..259f5d67e79 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedZkUpdateProcessor.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/update/processor/DistributedZkUpdateProcessor.java
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ private String getLeaderUrlZk(String id) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  void setupRequest(UpdateCommand cmd) {
+  public void setupRequest(UpdateCommand cmd) {
     zkCheck(cmd);
     if (cmd instanceof AddUpdateCommand acmd) {
       nodes = setupRequest(acmd.getIndexedIdStr(), acmd.getSolrInputDocument(), null, cmd);