diff --git a/libs/pageserver_api/src/shard.rs b/libs/pageserver_api/src/shard.rs
index 32c1db2046..8c5a4e6168 100644
--- a/libs/pageserver_api/src/shard.rs
+++ b/libs/pageserver_api/src/shard.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ use utils::id::TenantId;
 pub struct ShardNumber(pub u8);
 
 #[derive(Ord, PartialOrd, Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Copy, Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Hash)]
-pub struct ShardCount(pub u8);
+pub struct ShardCount(u8);
 
 /// Combination of ShardNumber and ShardCount.  For use within the context of a particular tenant,
 /// when we need to know which shard we're dealing with, but do not need to know the full
diff --git a/storage_controller/src/service.rs b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
index df5e03da49..084a9892c7 100644
--- a/storage_controller/src/service.rs
+++ b/storage_controller/src/service.rs
@@ -5443,8 +5443,10 @@ impl Service {
                 match tids_by_node.get_mut(&node_id) {
                     Some(tids) => match tids.pop() {
                         Some(tid) => {
-                            let max_promote_for_tenant =
-                                std::cmp::max(tid.shard_count.0 as usize / locked.nodes.len(), 1);
+                            let max_promote_for_tenant = std::cmp::max(
+                                tid.shard_count.count() as usize / locked.nodes.len(),
+                                1,
+                            );
                             let promoted = promoted_per_tenant.entry(tid.tenant_id).or_default();
                             if *promoted < max_promote_for_tenant {
                                 plan.push(tid);