diff --git a/backends/cadence/aot/TARGETS b/backends/cadence/aot/TARGETS
index ae60c299f2c..ff4256d19f6 100644
--- a/backends/cadence/aot/TARGETS
+++ b/backends/cadence/aot/TARGETS
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ python_library(
 python_library(
     name = "passes",
     srcs = [
-        "passes.py",
+        "_passes.py",
     ],
     deps = [
         ":utils",
diff --git a/backends/cadence/aot/passes.py b/backends/cadence/aot/_passes.py
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/cadence/aot/passes.py
rename to backends/cadence/aot/_passes.py
diff --git a/backends/cadence/aot/compiler.py b/backends/cadence/aot/compiler.py
index 5b151a3b6a4..89467dbc234 100644
--- a/backends/cadence/aot/compiler.py
+++ b/backends/cadence/aot/compiler.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 import torch
 
-from executorch.backends.cadence.aot.passes import (
+from executorch.backends.cadence.aot._passes import (
     InitializePipeline,
     RemoveNopExpandOpPass,
     RemoveZeroSizedCatArgsPass,