diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker.java
index 883303f0a..24d186ebf 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker.java
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ public class AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker implements ApplicationListener<Reposit
 				LOG.debug("Invoking {} handler for {}.", event.getClass().getSimpleName(), event.getSource());
 			}
 
+			ReflectionUtils.makeAccessible(handlerMethod.method);
 			ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(handlerMethod.method, handlerMethod.handler, parameters.toArray());
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests.java b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests.java
index c4a7d9f6c..eb8bc272a 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/rest/core/event/AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests.java
@@ -22,13 +22,14 @@ import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.aop.framework.ProxyFactory;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.core.annotation.HandleBeforeCreate;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.core.annotation.RepositoryEventHandler;
+import org.springframework.data.rest.core.domain.jpa.Person;
 import org.springframework.data.rest.core.event.AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker.EventHandlerMethod;
 import org.springframework.test.util.ReflectionTestUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.MultiValueMap;
 
 /**
  * Unit tests for {@link AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker}.
- * 
+ *
  * @author Oliver Gierke
  */
 public class AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests {
@@ -53,10 +54,40 @@ public class AnnotatedEventHandlerInvokerUnitTests {
 		assertThat(methods.get(BeforeCreateEvent.class), hasSize(1));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATAREST-606
+	 */
+	@Test
+	public void canInvokePrivateEventHandlerMethods() {
+		SampleWithPrivateHandler sampleHandler = new SampleWithPrivateHandler();
+		AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker invoker = new AnnotatedEventHandlerInvoker();
+		invoker.postProcessAfterInitialization(sampleHandler, "sampleHandler");
+		BeforeCreateEvent beforeCreateEvent = new BeforeCreateEvent(new Person());
+
+		invoker.onApplicationEvent(beforeCreateEvent);
+
+		assertThat(sampleHandler.wasCalled(), is(true));
+	}
+
 	@RepositoryEventHandler
 	static class Sample {
 
 		@HandleBeforeCreate
 		public void method(Sample sample) {}
 	}
+
+	@RepositoryEventHandler
+	static class SampleWithPrivateHandler {
+
+		private boolean wasCalled = false;
+
+		@HandleBeforeCreate
+		private void method(Person sample) {
+			wasCalled = true;
+		}
+
+		public boolean wasCalled() {
+			return wasCalled;
+		}
+	}
 }