diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/contexts/ReferenceContext.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/contexts/ReferenceContext.java
index b4b6ab67a..87dd0f04f 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/contexts/ReferenceContext.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/contexts/ReferenceContext.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public class ReferenceContext {
      * Get the base at the given locus.
      * @return The base at the given locus from the reference.
      */
-    public int getSimpleBase() {
+    public int getBaseIndex() {
         return BaseUtils.simpleBaseToBaseIndex(getBase());
     }