diff --git a/backend/apps/swarm/entities/skills.py b/backend/apps/swarm/entities/skills.py
index 69ea854e..e223e48f 100644
--- a/backend/apps/swarm/entities/skills.py
+++ b/backend/apps/swarm/entities/skills.py
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ class SkillExportable:
 
     @classmethod
     def load(cls, local_id: str) -> "SkillExportable | None":
-        md_path, kind = store._skill_md_path(local_id)
+        md_path, kind = store.p_skill_md_path(local_id)
         if not md_path:
             return None
         with open(md_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             content = f.read()
-        meta = store._load_index().get(local_id, {})
+        meta = store.p_load_index().get(local_id, {})
         name = meta.get("name") or local_id.replace("-", " ").replace("_", " ").title()
         payload = {
             "slug": local_id,
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ class SkillExportable:
             shutil.rmtree(skill_dir, ignore_errors=True)
         if os.path.isfile(flat):
             os.remove(flat)
-        index = store._load_index()
+        index = store.p_load_index()
         if local_id in index:
             index.pop(local_id, None)
-            store._save_index(index)
+            store.p_save_index(index)
 
 
 def p_read_supporting_files(skill_dir: str) -> dict[str, bytes]:
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def p_read_supporting_files(skill_dir: str) -> dict[str, bytes]:
 
 def p_slug_taken(slug: str) -> bool:
     return (
-        slug in store._load_index()
+        slug in store.p_load_index()
         or os.path.isfile(os.path.join(store.SKILLS_DIR, f"{slug}.md"))
         or os.path.isdir(os.path.join(store.SKILLS_DIR, slug))
     )
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_skill_registry_seed.py b/backend/tests/test_skill_registry_seed.py
index a30d73c8..37115a34 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_skill_registry_seed.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_skill_registry_seed.py
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ from backend.apps.skill_registry import skill_registry as sr
 def test_bundled_snapshot_exists_and_includes_pdf():
     # The onboarding step targets the "pdf" skill via /pdf/i; it must be present
     # in the shipped snapshot or the tour times out even with a populated list.
-    assert os.path.exists(sr._BUNDLED_SNAPSHOT)
-    data = json.load(open(sr._BUNDLED_SNAPSHOT, encoding="utf-8"))
+    assert os.path.exists(sr.P_BUNDLED_SNAPSHOT)
+    data = json.load(open(sr.P_BUNDLED_SNAPSHOT, encoding="utf-8"))
     assert isinstance(data, dict) and len(data) >= 10
     assert any("pdf" in k.lower() or "pdf" in v.get("folder", "").lower()
                for k, v in data.items())
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def test_seed_makes_catalog_non_empty_offline(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     # Point the disk cache at an empty tmp dir so only the bundled snapshot can
     # seed; this is the brand-new-install, no-network case.
     monkeypatch.setenv("OPENSWARM_SKILL_CACHE_DIR", str(tmp_path))
-    seeded = sr._load_seed_cache()
+    seeded = sr.p_load_seed_cache()
     assert len(seeded) >= 10
 
     sr.CACHE = seeded
@@ -41,6 +41,6 @@ def test_disk_cache_roundtrip_and_priority(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     sentinel = {"only-skill": {"name": "only-skill", "description": "", "content": "",
                                "folder": "skills/only-skill", "category": "Test",
                                "repositoryUrl": ""}}
-    sr._save_disk_cache(sentinel)
-    assert os.path.exists(sr._disk_cache_path())
-    assert sr._load_seed_cache() == sentinel
+    sr.p_save_disk_cache(sentinel)
+    assert os.path.exists(sr.p_disk_cache_path())
+    assert sr.p_load_seed_cache() == sentinel
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_skills_folders.py b/backend/tests/test_skills_folders.py
index f6de636e..39b35d3d 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_skills_folders.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_skills_folders.py
@@ -37,28 +37,28 @@ def test_corrupt_index_does_not_brick_skills_and_is_preserved(skills_dir):
     with open(skills_dir / ".skills_index.json", "w") as f:
         f.write("{ not valid json")
     # Load returns empty instead of raising, and moves the bad file aside.
-    assert skills_mod._load_index() == {}
+    assert skills_mod.p_load_index() == {}
     assert (skills_dir / ".skills_index.json.corrupt").exists()
     # Skills still list (name falls back to the filename), so nothing is bricked.
-    assert "alpha" in {s.id for s in skills_mod._sync_skills()}
+    assert "alpha" in {s.id for s in skills_mod.sync_skills()}
 
 
 def test_non_object_index_is_rejected(skills_dir):
     with open(skills_dir / ".skills_index.json", "w") as f:
         f.write("[1, 2, 3]")
-    assert skills_mod._load_index() == {}
+    assert skills_mod.p_load_index() == {}
 
 
 def test_save_index_is_atomic_no_temp_leftover(skills_dir):
-    skills_mod._save_index({"x": {"name": "X"}})
-    assert skills_mod._load_index() == {"x": {"name": "X"}}
+    skills_mod.p_save_index({"x": {"name": "X"}})
+    assert skills_mod.p_load_index() == {"x": {"name": "X"}}
     leftovers = [n for n in __import__("os").listdir(skills_dir) if n.startswith(".skills_index.") and n.endswith(".tmp")]
     assert leftovers == []
 
 
 def test_flat_skill_still_syncs(skills_dir):
     _write(str(skills_dir / "my-flat.md"), "do the flat thing")
-    skills = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod._sync_skills()}
+    skills = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod.sync_skills()}
     assert "my-flat" in skills
     s = skills["my-flat"]
     assert s.content == "do the flat thing"
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def test_folder_skill_syncs_with_supporting_files(skills_dir):
     base = skills_dir / "remotion"
     _write(str(base / "SKILL.md"), "---\nname: Remotion\ndescription: make videos\n---\nrender stuff")
     _write(str(base / "helper.py"), "print('hi')")
-    skills = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod._sync_skills()}
+    skills = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod.sync_skills()}
     assert "remotion" in skills
     s = skills["remotion"]
     assert "render stuff" in s.content
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def test_folder_skill_syncs_with_supporting_files(skills_dir):
 def test_folder_skill_without_extra_files_flags_false(skills_dir):
     base = skills_dir / "solo"
     _write(str(base / "SKILL.md"), "just one file")
-    s = {x.id: x for x in skills_mod._sync_skills()}["solo"]
+    s = {x.id: x for x in skills_mod.sync_skills()}["solo"]
     assert s.dir_path == str(base)
     assert s.has_supporting_files is False
 
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ def test_swarm_import_writes_folder_when_files_present(skills_dir):
     new_id = SkillExportable.import_(payload, {"scripts/go.py": b"print(1)"}, None)
     assert os.path.isfile(skills_dir / new_id / "SKILL.md")
     assert os.path.isfile(skills_dir / new_id / "scripts" / "go.py")
-    synced = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod._sync_skills()}
+    synced = {s.id: s for s in skills_mod.sync_skills()}
     assert synced[new_id].has_supporting_files is True
 
 
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ async def test_create_writes_folder_and_supersedes_legacy_flat(skills_dir):
     assert sid == "notes"
     assert os.path.isfile(skills_dir / "notes" / "SKILL.md")
     assert not (skills_dir / "notes.md").exists()
-    only = [s for s in skills_mod._sync_skills() if s.id == "notes"]
+    only = [s for s in skills_mod.sync_skills() if s.id == "notes"]
     assert len(only) == 1 and only[0].content == "new body"
 
 
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_swarm_bundle.py b/backend/tests/test_swarm_bundle.py
index 4c061556..ac4e02ab 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_swarm_bundle.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_swarm_bundle.py
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ def skill_store(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
 
 def _make_skill(d, slug, name, content, description="desc"):
     (d / f"{slug}.md").write_text(content, encoding="utf-8")
-    index = store._load_index()
+    index = store.p_load_index()
     index[slug] = {"name": name, "description": description, "command": slug}
-    store._save_index(index)
+    store.p_save_index(index)
 
 
 def test_skill_export_import_round_trip(skill_store):
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ def test_skill_rollback_removes_it(skill_store):
     assert (skill_store / sid / "SKILL.md").exists()
     SkillExportable.rollback(sid)
     assert not (skill_store / sid).exists()
-    assert sid not in store._load_index()
+    assert sid not in store.p_load_index()
 
 
 def test_commit_rolls_back_created_on_failure(skill_store, tmp_path):
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ def test_commit_rolls_back_created_on_failure(skill_store, tmp_path):
     )
     with pytest.raises(BundleError):
         closure.commit(str(sb), manifest, [])
-    assert "rollme" not in store._load_index()
+    assert "rollme" not in store.p_load_index()
     assert not (skill_store / "rollme").exists()  # the imported folder was rolled back