diff --git a/TLYShyNavBar/TLYShyNavBarManager.m b/TLYShyNavBar/TLYShyNavBarManager.m
index 5f107a5..4197279 100644
--- a/TLYShyNavBar/TLYShyNavBarManager.m
+++ b/TLYShyNavBar/TLYShyNavBarManager.m
@@ -291,19 +291,19 @@ static char shyNavBarManagerKey;
 
 - (void)tly_swizzledViewWillAppear:(BOOL)animated
 {
-    [self.shyNavBarManager prepareForDisplay];
+    [[self _internalShyNavBarManager] prepareForDisplay];
     [self tly_swizzledViewWillAppear:animated];
 }
 
 - (void)tly_swizzledViewDidLayoutSubviews
 {
-    [self.shyNavBarManager layoutViews];
+    [[self _internalShyNavBarManager] layoutViews];
     [self tly_swizzledViewDidLayoutSubviews];
 }
 
 - (void)tly_swizzledViewWillDisappear:(BOOL)animated
 {
-    [self.shyNavBarManager cleanup];
+    [[self _internalShyNavBarManager] cleanup];
     [self tly_swizzledViewWillDisappear:animated];
 }
 
@@ -327,5 +327,13 @@ static char shyNavBarManagerKey;
     return shyNavBarManager;
 }
 
+#pragma mark - Private methods
+
+/* Internally, we need to access the variable without creating it */
+- (TLYShyNavBarManager *)_internalShyNavBarManager
+{
+    return objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &shyNavBarManagerKey);
+}
+
 @end