diff --git a/doc/ref/clients/index.rst b/doc/ref/clients/index.rst
index d246dcf6e0..3050c31bc8 100644
--- a/doc/ref/clients/index.rst
+++ b/doc/ref/clients/index.rst
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ WheelClient
 -----------
 
 .. autoclass:: salt.wheel.WheelClient
-    :members: call_func, cmd_sync, cmd_async
+    :members: cmd, async, cmd_sync, cmd_async
 
 CloudClient
 -----------
diff --git a/salt/wheel/__init__.py b/salt/wheel/__init__.py
index 6340a2b12b..7654eb5c39 100644
--- a/salt/wheel/__init__.py
+++ b/salt/wheel/__init__.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class WheelClient(mixins.SyncClientMixin, mixins.AsyncClientMixin, object):
         self.opts = opts
         self.functions = salt.loader.wheels(opts)
 
-    def call_func(self, fun, **kwargs):
+    def cmd(self, fun, **kwargs):
         '''
         Execute a wheel function
 
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ class WheelClient(mixins.SyncClientMixin, mixins.AsyncClientMixin, object):
         '''
         return self.low(fun, kwargs)
 
+    call_func = cmd  # alias for backward-compat
+
     def master_call(self, **kwargs):
         '''
         Execute a wheel function through the master network interface (eauth).