diff --git a/skimage/util/__init__.py b/skimage/util/__init__.py
index 5aee7337..b64836f1 100644
--- a/skimage/util/__init__.py
+++ b/skimage/util/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from .apply_parallel import apply_parallel
 from .arraypad import pad, crop
 from ._regular_grid import regular_grid
 from .unique import unique_rows
-from .invert import invert
+from ._invert import invert
 
 
 __all__ = ['img_as_float',
diff --git a/skimage/util/invert.py b/skimage/util/_invert.py
similarity index 100%
rename from skimage/util/invert.py
rename to skimage/util/_invert.py
diff --git a/skimage/util/tests/test_invert.py b/skimage/util/tests/test_invert.py
index 9de26aa3..5890d685 100644
--- a/skimage/util/tests/test_invert.py
+++ b/skimage/util/tests/test_invert.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal
 from skimage import dtype_limits
-from skimage.util.invert import invert
+from skimage.util import invert
 
 
 def test_invert_bool():