diff --git a/modules/config/private/init.el b/modules/config/private/init.el
index 596eccca5..e361955fe 100644
--- a/modules/config/private/init.el
+++ b/modules/config/private/init.el
@@ -7,13 +7,9 @@
   "The directory that serves as the root of your external private config for
 Doom Emacs.")
 
-(defvar +private-modules-path
-  (expand-file-name "modules/" +private-config-path)
-  "The path to your private, external modules. This will be symlinked to
-external/ in `doom-modules-dir'.")
-
-(defvar +private-module-prefix "private"
-  "TODO")
+(defvar +private-symlink-path
+  (expand-file-name "private" doom-modules-dir)
+  "Where the place the symbolic link to the private modules directory.")
 
 ;; Ensure `doom//reload-autoloads', `doom//byte-compile' and
 ;; `doom-initialize-packages' all include this module in their operations.
diff --git a/modules/config/private/packages.el b/modules/config/private/packages.el
index e586de54f..0544484ae 100644
--- a/modules/config/private/packages.el
+++ b/modules/config/private/packages.el
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 ;; -*- no-byte-compile: t; -*-
 ;;; config/private/packages.el
 
-(when (file-directory-p +private-modules-path)
-  ;; automatically symlinks your private modules to `doom-modules-dir'.
-  (let ((symlink (expand-file-name +private-module-prefix doom-modules-dir)))
-    (if (and (file-directory-p symlink)
-             (not (file-symlink-p symlink)))
+(let ((modules-path (expand-file-name "modules/" +private-config-path)))
+  (when (file-directory-p modules-path)
+    ;; automatically symlinks your private modules to `doom-modules-dir'.
+    (if (and (file-directory-p +private-symlink-path)
+             (not (file-symlink-p +private-symlink-path)))
         (lwarn "config/private" :warning
-               "modules/%s already exists; can't create symlink" +private-module-prefix)
-      (make-symbolic-link +private-modules-path symlink t))))
+               "modules/%s already exists; can't create symlink" +private-symlink-path)
+      (make-symbolic-link modules-path +private-symlink-path t))))
 
 ;;
 (load (expand-file-name "packages.el" +private-config-path)