diff --git a/dvc/version.py b/dvc/version.py
index dbd6705cc..5ad77eb69 100644
--- a/dvc/version.py
+++ b/dvc/version.py
@@ -1,34 +1,38 @@
-# Used from setup.py, so don't pull any additional dependencies
+# Used in setup.py, so don't pull any additional dependencies
+#
+# Based on:
+#   - https://github.com/python/mypy/blob/master/mypy/version.py
+#   - https://github.com/python/mypy/blob/master/mypy/git.py
 import os
 import subprocess
 
 
-BASE_VERSION = "0.35.0"
+_BASE_VERSION = "0.35.0"
 
 
-def generate_version(base_version):
+def _generate_version(base_version):
     """Generate a version with information about the git repository"""
     pkg_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__)))
 
-    if not is_git_repo(pkg_dir) or not have_git():
+    if not _is_git_repo(pkg_dir) or not _have_git():
         return base_version
 
-    if is_release(pkg_dir, base_version):
+    if _is_release(pkg_dir, base_version):
         return base_version
 
     return "{base_version}+{short_sha}{dirty}".format(
         base_version=base_version,
-        short_sha=git_revision(pkg_dir).decode("utf-8")[0:6],
-        dirty=".mod" if is_dirty(pkg_dir) else "",
+        short_sha=_git_revision(pkg_dir).decode("utf-8")[0:6],
+        dirty=".mod" if _is_dirty(pkg_dir) else "",
     )
 
 
-def is_git_repo(dir_path):
+def _is_git_repo(dir_path):
     """Is the given directory version-controlled with git?"""
     return os.path.exists(os.path.join(dir_path, ".git"))
 
 
-def have_git():
+def _have_git():
     """Can we run the git executable?"""
     try:
         subprocess.check_output(["git", "--help"])
@@ -39,7 +43,7 @@ def have_git():
         return False
 
 
-def is_release(dir_path, base_version):
+def _is_release(dir_path, base_version):
     try:
         output = subprocess.check_output(
             ["git", "describe", "--tags", "--exact-match"], cwd=dir_path
@@ -50,14 +54,14 @@ def is_release(dir_path, base_version):
         return False
 
 
-def git_revision(dir_path):
+def _git_revision(dir_path):
     """Get the SHA-1 of the HEAD of a git repository."""
     return subprocess.check_output(
         ["git", "rev-parse", "HEAD"], cwd=dir_path
     ).strip()
 
 
-def is_dirty(dir_path):
+def _is_dirty(dir_path):
     """Check whether a git repository has uncommitted changes."""
     try:
         subprocess.check_call(["git", "diff", "--quiet"], cwd=dir_path)
@@ -66,4 +70,4 @@ def is_dirty(dir_path):
         return True
 
 
-__version__ = generate_version(BASE_VERSION)
+__version__ = _generate_version(_BASE_VERSION)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_version.py b/tests/unit/test_version.py
index 249f58e7e..5912133f8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_version.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_version.py
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ from dvc.utils.compat import cast_bytes
 def test_is_release():
     with mock.patch.object(dvc.version.subprocess, "check_output") as m:
         m.side_effect = subprocess.CalledProcessError(1, "cmd")
-        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        ret = dvc.version._is_release(None, dvc.version._BASE_VERSION)
         assert ret is False
 
         m.side_effect = None
-        m.return_value = cast_bytes(dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
-        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        m.return_value = cast_bytes(dvc.version._BASE_VERSION)
+        ret = dvc.version._is_release(None, dvc.version._BASE_VERSION)
         assert ret
 
         m.return_value = cast_bytes("630d1741c2d5dd89a3176bd15b63121b905d35c9")
-        ret = dvc.version.is_release(None, dvc.version.BASE_VERSION)
+        ret = dvc.version._is_release(None, dvc.version._BASE_VERSION)
         assert ret is False