Former prime minister Tony Abbott has conceded new Treasurer Scott Morrison spoke to his office days before a leadership ballot, but they have different views on whether he had actually warned them about what was to come.

A week ago, Mr Abbott accused Mr Morrison of "misleading" the public for claiming he had alerted his office that "things were febrile" the Friday before the September 15 challenge.

But in an interview with radio broadcaster Ray Hadley on Tuesday, Mr Abbott said there had been a conversation between his chief-of-staff Peta Credlin and Mr Morrison.