diff --git a/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor b/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
index f19cc8c573..0a5de9b4e2 100644
--- a/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
+++ b/basis/vocabs/hierarchy/hierarchy.factor
@@ -38,12 +38,7 @@ ERROR: vocab-root-required root ;
 
 : (child-vocabs) ( root prefix -- vocabs )
     check-vocab-name
-    [
-        dup ".private" tail? [ 2drop { } ] [
-            vocab-dir append-path dup exists?
-            [ vocab-subdirs ] [ drop { } ] if
-        ] if
-    ]
+    [ vocab-dir append-path dup exists? [ vocab-subdirs ] [ drop { } ] 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-tests.factor b/core/vocabs/loader/loader-tests.factor
index e8513348a9..fd1f90de5b 100644
--- a/core/vocabs/loader/loader-tests.factor
+++ b/core/vocabs/loader/loader-tests.factor
@@ -192,6 +192,3 @@ forget-junk
 [
     "mnop" [ "vocabs.loader.test." swap suffix forget-vocab ] each
 ] with-compilation-unit
-
-{ "math" } [ "math.private" vocab-dir ] unit-test
-{ "resource:core/math/math-docs.factor" } [ "math.private" vocab-docs-path ] unit-test
diff --git a/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor b/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
index 6ef0454e66..a05f505060 100644
--- a/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
+++ b/core/vocabs/loader/loader.factor
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ M: string vocab-path ( string -- path/f )
 PRIVATE>
 
 : vocab-dir ( vocab -- dir )
-    vocab-name* H{ { CHAR: . CHAR: / } } substitute ;
+    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 ;
 
@@ -89,9 +89,7 @@ require-when-table [ V{ } clone ] initialize
     dup check-vocab-hook get call( vocab -- )
     [
         +parsing+ >>source-loaded?
-        dup vocab-name ".private" tail? [ [ ] ] [
-            dup vocab-source-path [ parse-file ] [ [ ] ] if*
-        ] if
+        dup vocab-source-path [ parse-file ] [ [ ] ] if*
         [ +parsing+ >>source-loaded? ] dip
         [ % ] [ call( -- ) ] if-bootstrapping
         +done+ >>source-loaded?
@@ -102,9 +100,7 @@ require-when-table [ V{ } clone ] initialize
     load-help? get [
         [
             +parsing+ >>docs-loaded?
-            dup vocab-name ".private" tail? [
-                dup vocab-docs-path [ ?run-file ] when*
-            ] unless
+            dup vocab-docs-path [ ?run-file ] when*
             +done+ >>docs-loaded?
         ] [ ] [ f >>docs-loaded? ] cleanup
     ] when drop ;
diff --git a/core/vocabs/vocabs.factor b/core/vocabs/vocabs.factor
index 24fc4fdda4..e2a9b895e7 100644
--- a/core/vocabs/vocabs.factor
+++ b/core/vocabs/vocabs.factor
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ M: object vocab-name check-vocab-name ;
 : vocab-name* ( vocab-spec -- name )
     vocab-name ".private" ?tail drop ;
 
+: private-vocab? ( vocab -- ? )
+    vocab-name ".private" tail? ;
+
 GENERIC: lookup-vocab ( vocab-spec -- vocab )
 
 M: vocab lookup-vocab ;