diff --git a/test/test_plugins.py b/test/test_plugins.py
index b0fc5182b..6d0b7ac83 100644
--- a/test/test_plugins.py
+++ b/test/test_plugins.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 importlib.invalidate_caches()
 
 from yt_dlp.plugins import PACKAGE_NAME, PluginType, directories, load_plugins
-from yt_dlp.globals import extractors, postprocessors
+from yt_dlp._globals import extractors, postprocessors
 
 
 class TestPlugins(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
index 17b4d241b..5375ad6a0 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from .extractor import gen_extractor_classes, get_info_extractor, import_extractors
 from .extractor.common import UnsupportedURLIE
 from .extractor.openload import PhantomJSwrapper
-from .globals import (
+from ._globals import (
     IN_CLI,
     LAZY_EXTRACTORS,
     plugin_ies,
diff --git a/yt_dlp/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
index bf09993e4..360599b9c 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/__init__.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 from .extractor import list_extractor_classes
 from .extractor.adobepass import MSO_INFO
 from .networking.impersonate import ImpersonateTarget
-from .globals import IN_CLI, plugin_dirs
+from ._globals import IN_CLI, plugin_dirs
 from .options import parseOpts
 from .plugins import load_all_plugin_types
 from .postprocessor import (
diff --git a/yt_dlp/globals.py b/yt_dlp/_globals.py
similarity index 91%
rename from yt_dlp/globals.py
rename to yt_dlp/_globals.py
index 52e98fb71..c91f07eca 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/globals.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/_globals.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from collections import defaultdict
 from contextvars import ContextVar
 
-# NAME = 'yt-dlp'
+# Internal only - no backwards compatibility guaranteed
 
 postprocessors = ContextVar('postprocessors', default={})
 extractors = ContextVar('extractors', default={})
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
index cd0f483cd..75e659215 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+from .._globals import extractors as _extractors_context
 from ..compat.compat_utils import passthrough_module
-from ..globals import extractors as _extractors_context
 
 passthrough_module(__name__, '.extractors')
 del passthrough_module
diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
index 590c886ef..bbee3a702 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/extractors.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import inspect
 import os
 
-from ..globals import LAZY_EXTRACTORS
-from ..globals import extractors as _extractors_context
+from .._globals import LAZY_EXTRACTORS
+from .._globals import extractors as _extractors_context
 
 _CLASS_LOOKUP = None
 if not os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_LAZY_EXTRACTORS'):
diff --git a/yt_dlp/plugins.py b/yt_dlp/plugins.py
index c0888ee2f..a9e7b08b3 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/plugins.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/plugins.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from zipfile import ZipFile
 
-from .globals import (
+from ._globals import (
     extractors,
     plugin_dirs,
     plugin_ies,
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def get_regular_modules(module, module_name, suffix):
         and not obj.__name__.startswith('_')
         and obj.__name__ in getattr(module, '__all__', [obj.__name__])
         and getattr(obj, '_plugin_name', None) is None
-        ))
+    ))
 
 
 load_module = get_regular_modules
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def predicate(obj):
             return False
         mro = inspect.getmro(obj)
         return (
-           obj.__module__.startswith(module_name)
+            obj.__module__.startswith(module_name)
             and getattr(obj, '_plugin_name', None) is not None
             and mro[mro.index(obj) + 1].__name__.endswith(suffix)
         )
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def load_plugins(plugin_type: PluginType):
             regular_classes.update(get_regular_modules(plugins, spec.name, suffix))
 
     # Configure override classes
-    for name, klass in override_classes.items():
+    for _, klass in override_classes.items():
         plugin_name = getattr(klass, '_plugin_name', None)
         if not plugin_name:
             # these should always have plugin_name
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ def load_all_plugin_types():
     for plugin_type in PluginType:
         load_plugins(plugin_type)
 
+
 sys.meta_path.insert(0, PluginFinder(f'{PACKAGE_NAME}.extractor', f'{PACKAGE_NAME}.postprocessor'))
 
 __all__ = [
diff --git a/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py b/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
index 0d76ba733..866fe3d1c 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/postprocessor/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 from .sponskrub import SponSkrubPP
 from .sponsorblock import SponsorBlockPP
 from .xattrpp import XAttrMetadataPP
-from ..globals import plugin_pps, postprocessors
+from .._globals import plugin_pps, postprocessors
 from ..plugins import PACKAGE_NAME
 from ..utils import deprecation_warning
 
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
index 0b61a77ac..57ace73e3 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     compat_os_name,
 )
 from ..dependencies import xattr
-from ..globals import IN_CLI
+from .._globals import IN_CLI
 
 __name__ = __name__.rsplit('.', 1)[0]  # noqa: A001: Pretend to be the parent module