diff --git a/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor b/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
index fec916667e..6d0a17bc19 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 ".private" ?tail drop "." split ] dip
     [ [ dup last ] dip append suffix ] when*
     "/" join ;