diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
index bde553b3a2e..c67a4b06b57 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualObjectManager.js
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ export const makeVirtualObjectManager = (
       actualWeakMaps.set(this, new WeakMap());
       const vmap = new Map();
       virtualObjectMaps.set(this, vmap);
-      vrm.droppedCollectionRegistry.register(this, {
+      vrm.registerDroppedCollection(this, {
         collectionDeleter: voAwareWeakMapDeleter,
         vmap,
       });
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ export const makeVirtualObjectManager = (
       const vset = new Set();
       virtualObjectSets.set(this, vset);
 
-      vrm.droppedCollectionRegistry.register(this, {
+      vrm.registerDroppedCollection(this, {
         collectionDeleter: voAwareWeakSetDeleter,
         vset,
       });
diff --git a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
index 493fbbad6af..7d07f1bd05c 100644
--- a/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
+++ b/packages/swingset-liveslots/src/virtualReferences.js
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ export function makeVirtualReferenceManager(
     finalizeDroppedCollection,
   );
 
+  function registerDroppedCollection(target, descriptor) {
+    droppedCollectionRegistry.register(target, descriptor);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Check if a virtual object is unreachable via virtual-data references.
    *
@@ -683,7 +687,7 @@ export function makeVirtualReferenceManager(
   }
 
   return harden({
-    droppedCollectionRegistry,
+    registerDroppedCollection,
     isDurable,
     isDurableKind,
     registerKind,