diff --git a/src/librustdoc/html/mod.rs b/src/librustdoc/html/mod.rs
index 403a9303c3ff0..4318be898ceb4 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/html/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/html/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ crate mod escape;
 crate mod format;
 crate mod highlight;
 crate mod layout;
+// used by the error-index generator, so it needs to be public
 pub mod markdown;
 crate mod render;
 crate mod sources;
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/lib.rs b/src/librustdoc/lib.rs
index c61cbf78f771a..53f891251f500 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/lib.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/lib.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ mod doctree;
 mod error;
 mod doctest;
 mod fold;
-crate mod formats;
+mod formats;
+// used by the error-index generator, so it needs to be public
 pub mod html;
 mod json;
 mod markdown;