--- options.api/apichanges.xml	
+++ options.api/apichanges.xml	
@@ -75,6 +75,21 @@ 
 <!-- ACTUAL CHANGES BEGIN HERE: -->
 
 <changes>
+    <change id="OptionsPanelController.setSubcategory">
+        <api name="OptionsAPI"/>
+        <summary>API to handle selection of subcategory from a composite OptionspanelController</summary>
+        <version major="1" minor="38"/>
+        <date day="3" month="12" year="2013"/>
+        <author login="theofanis"/>
+        <compatibility addition="yes"/>
+        <description>
+            Added API to handle selection of subcategory. It is meant to be called from
+            a composite {@link org.netbeans.spi.options.OptionspanelController} and delegates to
+            {@link org.netbeans.spi.options.OptionspanelController#setCurrentSubcategory(java.lang.String)}.
+        </description>
+        <class package="org.netbeans.spi.options" name="OptionsPanelController"/>
+        <issue number="180821"/>
+    </change>
    <change id="Import.restart">
         <api name="OptionsAPI"/>
         <summary>Should Import Require Restart?</summary>
--- options.api/manifest.mf	
+++ options.api/manifest.mf	
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@ 
 OpenIDE-Module: org.netbeans.modules.options.api/1
 OpenIDE-Module-Localizing-Bundle: org/netbeans/modules/options/Bundle.properties
 OpenIDE-Module-Layer: org/netbeans/modules/options/resources/mf-layer.xml
-OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 1.37
+OpenIDE-Module-Specification-Version: 1.38
 AutoUpdate-Show-In-Client: false
 AutoUpdate-Essential-Module: true
--- options.api/src/org/netbeans/spi/options/OptionsPanelController.java	
+++ options.api/src/org/netbeans/spi/options/OptionsPanelController.java	
@@ -213,6 +213,18 @@ 
     }
 
     /**
+     * Enables to handle selection of subcategory. It is meant to be called from
+     * a composite {@link org.netbeans.spi.options.OptionspanelController} and  delegates to
+     * {@link org.netbeans.spi.options.OptionspanelController#setCurrentSubcategory(java.lang.String)}.
+     * @param subpath path of subcategory to be selected. Path is 
+     * composed from registration names divided by slash.
+     * @since 1.38
+     */
+    public final void setSubcategory(String subpath) {
+        setCurrentSubcategory(subpath);
+    }
+
+    /**
      * 
      * Get current help context asociated with this panel.
      * 
--- options.editor/src/org/netbeans/modules/options/editor/FolderBasedController.java	
+++ options.editor/src/org/netbeans/modules/options/editor/FolderBasedController.java	
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ 
                 subpath = subpath.substring(e.getKey().length());
 
                 if (subpath.length() > 0 && subpath.startsWith("/")) {
-                    setCurrentSubcategory(e.getValue(), subpath.substring(1));
+                    e.getValue().setSubcategory(subpath.substring(1));
                 }
 
                 return ;
@@ -241,26 +241,6 @@ 
         Logger.getLogger(FolderBasedController.class.getName()).log(Level.WARNING, "setCurrentSubcategory: cannot open: {0}", subpath);
     }
 
-    private static void setCurrentSubcategory(OptionsPanelController c, String subpath) {
-        //#180821: cannot directly call setCurrentSubcategory on c as that is protected
-        try {
-            Method m = OptionsPanelController.class.getDeclaredMethod("setCurrentSubcategory", String.class);
-
-            m.setAccessible(true);
-            m.invoke(c, subpath);
-        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
-            Exceptions.printStackTrace(ex);
-        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
-            Exceptions.printStackTrace(ex);
-        } catch (InvocationTargetException ex) {
-            Exceptions.printStackTrace(ex);
-        } catch (NoSuchMethodException ex) {
-            Exceptions.printStackTrace(ex);
-        } catch (SecurityException ex) {
-            Exceptions.printStackTrace(ex);
-        }
-    }
-    
     Iterable<String> getMimeTypes() {
         return getMimeType2delegates ().keySet();
     }