diff --git a/skimage/filter/__init__.py b/skimage/filter/__init__.py
index 39d50376..80d637cf 100644
--- a/skimage/filter/__init__.py
+++ b/skimage/filter/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@ from .ctmf import median_filter
 from ._canny import canny
 from .edges import (sobel, hsobel, vsobel, scharr, hscharr, vscharr, prewitt,
                     hprewitt, vprewitt)
-from ._denoise import denoise_bilateral, denoise_tv_bregman
+from ._denoise_cy import denoise_bilateral, denoise_tv_bregman
 from ._rank_order import rank_order
 from .thresholding import threshold_otsu, threshold_adaptive
diff --git a/skimage/filter/_denoise.pyx b/skimage/filter/_denoise_cy.pyx
similarity index 100%
rename from skimage/filter/_denoise.pyx
rename to skimage/filter/_denoise_cy.pyx
diff --git a/skimage/filter/setup.py b/skimage/filter/setup.py
index 56c1e9e5..650a26a6 100644
--- a/skimage/filter/setup.py
+++ b/skimage/filter/setup.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
     config.add_data_dir('tests')
 
     cython(['_ctmf.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
-    cython(['_denoise.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
+    cython(['_denoise_cy.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
     cython(['rank/_core8.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
     cython(['rank/_core16.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
     cython(['rank/_crank8.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
 
     config.add_extension('_ctmf', sources=['_ctmf.c'],
         include_dirs=[get_numpy_include_dirs()])
-    config.add_extension('_denoise', sources=['_denoise.c'],
+    config.add_extension('_denoise_cy', sources=['_denoise_cy.c'],
         include_dirs=[get_numpy_include_dirs(), '../_shared'])
     config.add_extension('rank/_core8', sources=['rank/_core8.c'],
         include_dirs=[get_numpy_include_dirs()])