diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 4afa193d..e9297669 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ S3method(print,epichains_summary)
 S3method(summary,epichains)
 S3method(summary,epichains_summary)
 S3method(tail,epichains)
-export(.epichains)
-export(.is_epichains)
-export(.is_epichains_summary)
-export(.validate_epichains)
-export(.validate_epichains_summary)
 export(dborel)
 export(likelihood)
 export(rborel)
diff --git a/R/epichains.R b/R/epichains.R
index 55f09f9f..cd5bf7b7 100644
--- a/R/epichains.R
+++ b/R/epichains.R
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 #'
 #' @return An `<epichains>` object
 #' @author James M. Azam
-#' @export
+#' @keywords internal
 .epichains <- function(tree_df,
                       index_cases,
                       offspring_dist,
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ summary.epichains_summary <- function(object, ...) {
 #' @return logical, `TRUE` if the object is an `<epichains>` and `FALSE`
 #' otherwise
 #' @author James M. Azam
-#' @export
+#' @keywords internal
 .is_epichains <- function(x) {
   inherits(x, "epichains")
 }
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ summary.epichains_summary <- function(object, ...) {
 #' @return logical, `TRUE` if the object is an `epichains_summary` and `FALSE`
 #' otherwise
 #' @author James M. Azam
-#' @export
+#' @keywords internal
 .is_epichains_summary <- function(x) {
   inherits(x, "epichains_summary")
 }
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ summary.epichains_summary <- function(object, ...) {
 #'
 #' @return No return.
 #' @author James M. Azam
-#' @export
+#' @keywords internal
 .validate_epichains <- function(x) {
   if (!.is_epichains(x)) {
     stop("Object must have an `<epichains>` class")
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ summary.epichains_summary <- function(object, ...) {
 #'
 #' @return No return.
 #' @author James M. Azam
-#' @export
+#' @keywords internal
 .validate_epichains_summary <- function(x) {
   if (!.is_epichains_summary(x)) {
     stop("Object must have an `<epichains_summary>` class")
diff --git a/man/dot-epichains.Rd b/man/dot-epichains.Rd
index cbe07e8e..38ad68bb 100644
--- a/man/dot-epichains.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-epichains.Rd
@@ -64,3 +64,4 @@ tracked.
 \author{
 James M. Azam
 }
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/dot-is_epichains.Rd b/man/dot-is_epichains.Rd
index eb44299f..11f9ca45 100644
--- a/man/dot-is_epichains.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-is_epichains.Rd
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ Test if x is an \code{epichains} object
 \author{
 James M. Azam
 }
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/dot-is_epichains_summary.Rd b/man/dot-is_epichains_summary.Rd
index 25c279e2..eb29fa46 100644
--- a/man/dot-is_epichains_summary.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-is_epichains_summary.Rd
@@ -19,3 +19,4 @@ Test if x is an \code{epichains_summary} object
 \author{
 James M. Azam
 }
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/dot-validate_epichains.Rd b/man/dot-validate_epichains.Rd
index e9682bf1..810486c5 100644
--- a/man/dot-validate_epichains.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-validate_epichains.Rd
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ Validate an \verb{<epichains>} object
 \author{
 James M. Azam
 }
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/dot-validate_epichains_summary.Rd b/man/dot-validate_epichains_summary.Rd
index 1cc2e5f0..636b4dab 100644
--- a/man/dot-validate_epichains_summary.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-validate_epichains_summary.Rd
@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ Validate an \verb{<epichains_summary>} object
 \author{
 James M. Azam
 }
+\keyword{internal}