diff --git a/python/gtsam/.gitignore b/python/gtsam/.gitignore
index 8f89b0f14..580cd8494 100644
--- a/python/gtsam/.gitignore
+++ b/python/gtsam/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1 @@
-/libgtsam_python.so
+/_libgtsam_python.so
diff --git a/python/gtsam/__init__.py b/python/gtsam/__init__.py
index 9ac4cc939..9a0a4536e 100644
--- a/python/gtsam/__init__.py
+++ b/python/gtsam/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-from libgtsam_python import *
+from _libgtsam_python import *
 import utils
diff --git a/python/handwritten/CMakeLists.txt b/python/handwritten/CMakeLists.txt
index 753e33831..93b928d94 100644
--- a/python/handwritten/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/handwritten/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ set(PYTHON_MODULE_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/python/gtsam)
 # Cause the library to be output in the correct directory.
 add_custom_command(TARGET ${moduleName}_python
 	POST_BUILD
-	COMMAND cp -v ${PYLIB_OUTPUT_FILE} ${PYTHON_MODULE_DIRECTORY}/${PYLIB_SO_NAME}
+	COMMAND cp -v ${PYLIB_OUTPUT_FILE} ${PYTHON_MODULE_DIRECTORY}/_${PYLIB_SO_NAME}
 	WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}
 	COMMENT "Copying library files to python directory" )
diff --git a/python/handwritten/exportgtsam.cpp b/python/handwritten/exportgtsam.cpp
index 2802a779c..e1dc646b1 100644
--- a/python/handwritten/exportgtsam.cpp
+++ b/python/handwritten/exportgtsam.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ void registerNumpyEigenConversions();
 
 //-----------------------------------//
 
-BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(libgtsam_python){
+BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(_libgtsam_python){
 
   // Should be the first thing to be done
   import_array();