diff --git a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/_utils/__init__.py b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/_utils/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/global_settings.py b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/_utils/global_settings.py
similarity index 86%
rename from dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/global_settings.py
rename to dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/_utils/global_settings.py
index ba898b8..726cc97 100644
--- a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/global_settings.py
+++ b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/_utils/global_settings.py
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
     import typer
 except ImportError as exc:
     raise ImportError(
-        "Please install the DLite entities service utility CLI with "
-        f"'pip install {Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent.resolve()}[cli]'"
+        "Please install the DLite entities service utility CLI with 'pip install "
+        f"{Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent.parent.resolve()}[cli]'"
     ) from exc
 
 from rich import print  # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 STATUS = {"use_service_dotenv": False}
 
 
-def _print_version(value: bool) -> None:
+def print_version(value: bool) -> None:
     """Print version and exit."""
     if value:
         print(f"dlite-entities-service version: {__version__}")
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def global_options(
         "--version",
         help="Show version and exit",
         is_eager=True,
-        callback=_print_version,
+        callback=print_version,
     ),
     use_service_dotenv: bool = typer.Option(
         False,
diff --git a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/config.py b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/config.py
index 23db9eb..aca2306 100644
--- a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/config.py
+++ b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/config.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from rich.console import Console
 
 from dlite_entities_service.service.config import CONFIG
-from dlite_entities_service.utils_cli.global_settings import STATUS
+from dlite_entities_service.utils_cli._utils.global_settings import STATUS
 
 ERROR_CONSOLE = Console(stderr=True)
 CLI_DOTENV_FILE = Path(__file__).resolve().parent / ".env"
diff --git a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/main.py b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/main.py
index fd8bbd9..8989715 100644
--- a/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/main.py
+++ b/dlite_entities_service/utils_cli/main.py
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
     AnyWriteError,
     get_collection,
 )
+from dlite_entities_service.utils_cli._utils.global_settings import global_options
 from dlite_entities_service.utils_cli.config import APP as config_APP
-from dlite_entities_service.utils_cli.global_settings import global_options
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:  # pragma: no cover
     from typing import Any