diff --git a/flashgeotext/extractor.py b/flashgeotext/extractor.py
index 2be33ad..6dfac4f 100644
--- a/flashgeotext/extractor.py
+++ b/flashgeotext/extractor.py
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ class Alphabets(object):
 
 
 class Extractor(object):
-    cities_processor: KeywordProcessor = KeywordProcessor(case_sensitive=True)
-    countries_processor: KeywordProcessor = KeywordProcessor(case_sensitive=True)
+    _cities_processor: KeywordProcessor = KeywordProcessor(case_sensitive=True)
+    _countries_processor: KeywordProcessor = KeywordProcessor(case_sensitive=True)
 
     def extract(self, input_text: str):
         return "works"
@@ -38,17 +38,17 @@ def build(self):
 
     def build_cities_processor(self):
         if self.cities:
-            self.cities_processor.add_keywords_from_dict(self.cities)
+            self._cities_processor.add_keywords_from_dict(self.cities)
 
     def build_countries_processor(self):
         if self.countries:
-            self.countries_processor.add_keywords_from_dict(self.countries)
+            self._countries_processor.add_keywords_from_dict(self.countries)
 
     def _flush_processor(self):
-        self.cities_processor.keyword_trie_dict = dict()
-        self.cities_processor._terms_in_trie = 0
-        self.countries_processor.keyword_trie_dict = dict()
-        self.countries_processor._terms_in_trie = 0
+        self._cities_processor.keyword_trie_dict = dict()
+        self._cities_processor._terms_in_trie = 0
+        self._countries_processor.keyword_trie_dict = dict()
+        self._countries_processor._terms_in_trie = 0
 
 
 def load_data_from_file(file: str) -> dict:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_extractor.py b/tests/unit/test_extractor.py
index 7a0a246..61feb23 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_extractor.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_extractor.py
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
 def test_extractor_init():
     ext = Extractor()
 
-    assert hasattr(ext, "cities_processor")
-    assert hasattr(ext, "countries_processor")
+    assert hasattr(ext, "_cities_processor")
+    assert hasattr(ext, "_countries_processor")
 
 
 def test_extractor_extract(geotext_demodata):
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ def test_geolookup_demo_data(geotext_demodata):
     geotext = geotext_demodata
 
     assert geotext.cities
-    assert geotext.cities_processor
+    assert geotext._cities_processor
     assert geotext.countries
-    assert geotext.countries_processor
+    assert geotext._countries_processor
 
 
 def test_geolookup_no_demo_data_and_empty_processor():
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ def test_geolookup_no_demo_data_and_empty_processor():
 
     assert not geolookup_empty.cities
     assert not geolookup_empty.countries
-    assert len(geolookup_empty.countries_processor) == 0
-    assert len(geolookup_empty.cities_processor) == 0
+    assert len(geolookup_empty._countries_processor) == 0
+    assert len(geolookup_empty._cities_processor) == 0
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -68,5 +68,5 @@ def test_geolookup_manual_data(
 
     geolookup.build()
 
-    assert len(geolookup.cities_processor) == len_cities_processor
-    assert len(geolookup.countries_processor) == len_countries_processor
+    assert len(geolookup._cities_processor) == len_cities_processor
+    assert len(geolookup._countries_processor) == len_countries_processor