diff --git a/cmd2/command_definition.py b/cmd2/command_definition.py
index a9b580b8..1c1ff0cf 100644
--- a/cmd2/command_definition.py
+++ b/cmd2/command_definition.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         # Private reference to the CLI instance in which this CommandSet running.
         # This will be set when the CommandSet is registered and it should be
         # accessed by child classes using the self._cmd property.
-        self.__private_cmd: Optional[cmd2.Cmd] = None
+        self.__cmd_internal: Optional[cmd2.Cmd] = None
 
         self._settables: Dict[str, Settable] = {}
         self._settable_prefix = self.__class__.__name__
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
     @property
     def _cmd(self) -> 'cmd2.Cmd':
         """
-        Property for child classes to access self.__private_cmd.
+        Property for child classes to access self.__cmd_internal.
 
-        Using this property ensures that self.__private_cmd has been set
+        Using this property ensures that self.__cmd_internal has been set
         and it tells type checkers that it's no longer a None type.
 
         Override this property if you need to change its return type to a
@@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ def _cmd(self) -> 'cmd2.Cmd':
 
         :raises: CommandSetRegistrationError if CommandSet is not registered.
         """
-        if self.__private_cmd is None:
+        if self.__cmd_internal is None:
             raise CommandSetRegistrationError('This CommandSet is not registered')
-        return self.__private_cmd
+        return self.__cmd_internal
 
     def on_register(self, cmd: 'cmd2.Cmd') -> None:
         """
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ def on_register(self, cmd: 'cmd2.Cmd') -> None:
         :param cmd: The cmd2 main application
         :raises: CommandSetRegistrationError if CommandSet is already registered.
         """
-        if self.__private_cmd is None:
-            self.__private_cmd = cmd
+        if self.__cmd_internal is None:
+            self.__cmd_internal = cmd
         else:
             raise CommandSetRegistrationError('This CommandSet has already been registered')
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def on_unregistered(self) -> None:
         Called by ``cmd2.Cmd`` after a CommandSet has been unregistered and all its commands removed from the CLI.
         Subclasses can override this to perform remaining cleanup steps.
         """
-        self.__private_cmd = None
+        self.__cmd_internal = None
 
     @property
     def settable_prefix(self) -> str:
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def add_settable(self, settable: Settable) -> None:
 
         :param settable: Settable object being added
         """
-        if self.__private_cmd is not None:
+        if self.__cmd_internal is not None:
             if not self._cmd.always_prefix_settables:
                 if settable.name in self._cmd.settables.keys() and settable.name not in self._settables.keys():
                     raise KeyError(f'Duplicate settable: {settable.name}')