diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 6ea2c79b5..86a739d5f 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (api *API) validate(f apiMethod) error {
 	if _, ok := validAPIMethods[state][f]; ok {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return NewApiMethodNotAllowedError(errors.Errorf("api method %s not allowed in state %s", f, state))
+	return newApiMethodNotAllowedError(errors.Errorf("api method %s not allowed in state %s", f, state))
 }
 
 // Query parses a PQL query out of the request and executes it.
diff --git a/pilosa.go b/pilosa.go
index a63e64f76..7c313d29b 100644
--- a/pilosa.go
+++ b/pilosa.go
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ type apiMethodNotAllowedError struct {
 	error
 }
 
-// NewApiMethodNotAllowedError returns err wrapped in an ApiMethodNotAllowedError.
-func NewApiMethodNotAllowedError(err error) apiMethodNotAllowedError {
+// newApiMethodNotAllowedError returns err wrapped in an ApiMethodNotAllowedError.
+func newApiMethodNotAllowedError(err error) apiMethodNotAllowedError {
 	return apiMethodNotAllowedError{err}
 }