diff --git a/basis/vocabs/files/files.factor b/basis/vocabs/files/files.factor
index 3f6f32fed1..c9a828ac19 100644
--- a/basis/vocabs/files/files.factor
+++ b/basis/vocabs/files/files.factor
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ sequences vocabs vocabs.loader ;
 IN: vocabs.files
 
 : vocab-tests-path ( vocab -- path )
-    vocab-name* dup "-tests.factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
+    dup "-tests.factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
 
 : vocab-tests-file ( vocab -- path/f )
     vocab-tests-path dup
diff --git a/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor b/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
index 0a5de9b4e2..f19cc8c573 100644
--- a/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
+++ b/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ ERROR: vocab-root-required root ;
 
 : (child-vocabs) ( root prefix -- vocabs )
     check-vocab-name
-    [ vocab-dir append-path dup exists? [ vocab-subdirs ] [ drop { } ] if ]
+    [
+        dup ".private" tail? [ 2drop { } ] [
+            vocab-dir append-path dup exists?
+            [ vocab-subdirs ] [ drop { } ] if
+        ] if
+    ]
     [ nip [ "." append '[ _ prepend ] map! ] unless-empty ]
     [ drop '[ _ over vocab-dir? [ >vocab-link ] [ <vocab-prefix> ] if ] map! ]
     2tri ;
diff --git a/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor b/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
index 135e0ef6ef..e63482ca81 100644
--- a/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
+++ b/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ PRIVATE>
     vocab-name* H{ { CHAR: . CHAR: / } } substitute ;
 
 : append-vocab-dir ( vocab str/f -- path )
-    [ vocab-name "." split ] dip
+    [ vocab-name* "." split ] dip
     [ [ dup last ] dip append suffix ] when*
     "/" join ;
 
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ PRIVATE>
     swap find-vocab-root dup [ prepend-path ] [ 2drop f ] if ;
 
 : vocab-source-path ( vocab -- path/f )
-    vocab-name* dup ".factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
+    dup ".factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
 
 : vocab-docs-path ( vocab -- path/f )
-    vocab-name* dup "-docs.factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
+    dup "-docs.factor" append-vocab-dir vocab-append-path ;
 
 SYMBOL: load-help?