diff --git a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/internal/Ref.kt b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/internal/Ref.kt
index 5d112420d5d..b288bafea75 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/internal/Ref.kt
+++ b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/kotlin/kotlin/native/internal/Ref.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ package kotlin.native.internal
 /**
  * This class is used to allocate closure-captured variables in the heap.
  */
-class Ref<T> {
+@PublishedApi
+internal class Ref<T> {
     var element: T = undefined()
 }
\ No newline at end of file