diff --git a/src/analyzer.rs b/src/analyzer.rs
index 65bd382c31..de023c41ba 100644
--- a/src/analyzer.rs
+++ b/src/analyzer.rs
@@ -159,11 +159,9 @@ impl<'src> Analyzer<'src> {
         return Err(assignment.name.token.error(DuplicateVariable { variable }));
       }
 
-      if self
-        .assignments
-        .get(variable)
-        .map_or(true, |original| assignment.depth <= original.depth)
-      {
+      if self.assignments.get(variable).map_or(true, |original| {
+        assignment.file_depth <= original.file_depth
+      }) {
         self.assignments.insert(assignment.clone());
       }
 
diff --git a/src/binding.rs b/src/binding.rs
index 6a8c0c70cd..7e7890c7a1 100644
--- a/src/binding.rs
+++ b/src/binding.rs
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@ use super::*;
 /// A binding of `name` to `value`
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Serialize)]
 pub(crate) struct Binding<'src, V = String> {
-  /// Module depth where binding appears
-  pub(crate) depth: u32,
-  /// Export binding as an environment variable to child processes
   pub(crate) export: bool,
-  /// Binding name
+  #[serde(skip)]
+  pub(crate) file_depth: u32,
   pub(crate) name: Name<'src>,
-  /// Binding value
+  pub(crate) private: bool,
   pub(crate) value: V,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/evaluator.rs b/src/evaluator.rs
index 9efe807dc6..4ed00036d1 100644
--- a/src/evaluator.rs
+++ b/src/evaluator.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,12 @@ impl<'src, 'run> Evaluator<'src, 'run> {
 
     for (name, value) in overrides {
       if let Some(assignment) = module.assignments.get(name) {
-        scope.bind(assignment.export, assignment.name, value.clone());
+        scope.bind(
+          assignment.export,
+          assignment.name,
+          assignment.private,
+          value.clone(),
+        );
       } else {
         unknown_overrides.push(name.clone());
       }
@@ -63,7 +68,12 @@ impl<'src, 'run> Evaluator<'src, 'run> {
 
     if !self.scope.bound(name) {
       let value = self.evaluate_expression(&assignment.value)?;
-      self.scope.bind(assignment.export, assignment.name, value);
+      self.scope.bind(
+        assignment.export,
+        assignment.name,
+        assignment.private,
+        value,
+      );
     }
 
     Ok(self.scope.value(name).unwrap())
@@ -321,7 +331,7 @@ impl<'src, 'run> Evaluator<'src, 'run> {
       };
       evaluator
         .scope
-        .bind(parameter.export, parameter.name, value);
+        .bind(parameter.export, parameter.name, false, value);
     }
 
     Ok((evaluator.scope, positional))
diff --git a/src/justfile.rs b/src/justfile.rs
index b31084ef18..ab5fc6dbb8 100644
--- a/src/justfile.rs
+++ b/src/justfile.rs
@@ -164,12 +164,14 @@ impl<'src> Justfile<'src> {
           let width = scope.names().fold(0, |max, name| name.len().max(max));
 
           for binding in scope.bindings() {
-            println!(
-              "{0:1$} := \"{2}\"",
-              binding.name.lexeme(),
-              width,
-              binding.value
-            );
+            if !binding.private {
+              println!(
+                "{0:1$} := \"{2}\"",
+                binding.name.lexeme(),
+                width,
+                binding.value
+              );
+            }
           }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index adc95048e7..b896cd0b13 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -343,7 +343,9 @@ impl<'run, 'src> Parser<'run, 'src> {
           }
           Some(Keyword::Export) if self.next_are(&[Identifier, Identifier, ColonEquals]) => {
             self.presume_keyword(Keyword::Export)?;
-            items.push(Item::Assignment(self.parse_assignment(true)?));
+            items.push(Item::Assignment(
+              self.parse_assignment(true, take_attributes())?,
+            ));
           }
           Some(Keyword::Unexport)
             if self.next_are(&[Identifier, Identifier, Eof])
@@ -412,7 +414,9 @@ impl<'run, 'src> Parser<'run, 'src> {
           }
           _ => {
             if self.next_are(&[Identifier, ColonEquals]) {
-              items.push(Item::Assignment(self.parse_assignment(false)?));
+              items.push(Item::Assignment(
+                self.parse_assignment(false, take_attributes())?,
+              ));
             } else {
               let doc = pop_doc_comment(&mut items, eol_since_last_comment);
               items.push(Item::Recipe(self.parse_recipe(
@@ -473,16 +477,21 @@ impl<'run, 'src> Parser<'run, 'src> {
   }
 
   /// Parse an assignment, e.g. `foo := bar`
-  fn parse_assignment(&mut self, export: bool) -> CompileResult<'src, Assignment<'src>> {
+  fn parse_assignment(
+    &mut self,
+    export: bool,
+    attributes: BTreeSet<Attribute<'_>>,
+  ) -> CompileResult<'src, Assignment<'src>> {
     let name = self.parse_name()?;
-    self.presume_any(&[Equals, ColonEquals])?;
+    self.presume(ColonEquals)?;
     let value = self.parse_expression()?;
     self.expect_eol()?;
     Ok(Assignment {
-      depth: self.file_depth,
+      file_depth: self.file_depth,
       export,
       name,
       value,
+      private: name.lexeme().starts_with('_') || attributes.contains(&Attribute::Private),
     })
   }
 
@@ -1237,6 +1246,15 @@ mod tests {
     tree: (justfile (assignment #export x "hello")),
   }
 
+  test! {
+    name: private_export,
+    text: "
+      [private]
+      export x := 'hello'
+    ",
+    tree: (justfile (assignment #export x "hello")),
+  }
+
   test! {
     name: export_equals,
     text: r#"export x := "hello""#,
@@ -1251,6 +1269,15 @@ mod tests {
     tree: (justfile (assignment x "hello")),
   }
 
+  test! {
+    name: private_assignment,
+    text: "
+      [private]
+      x := 'hello'
+      ",
+    tree: (justfile (assignment x "hello")),
+  }
+
   test! {
     name: assignment_equals,
     text: r#"x := "hello""#,
diff --git a/src/scope.rs b/src/scope.rs
index dd7888c1ba..36bbedc8aa 100644
--- a/src/scope.rs
+++ b/src/scope.rs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ impl<'src, 'run> Scope<'src, 'run> {
             src: key,
           },
         },
+        false,
         (*value).into(),
       );
     }
@@ -41,11 +42,12 @@ impl<'src, 'run> Scope<'src, 'run> {
     root
   }
 
-  pub(crate) fn bind(&mut self, export: bool, name: Name<'src>, value: String) {
+  pub(crate) fn bind(&mut self, export: bool, name: Name<'src>, private: bool, value: String) {
     self.bindings.insert(Binding {
-      depth: 0,
       export,
+      file_depth: 0,
       name,
+      private,
       value,
     });
   }
diff --git a/src/subcommand.rs b/src/subcommand.rs
index 3f2c1ce90c..fa6f1e0b7e 100644
--- a/src/subcommand.rs
+++ b/src/subcommand.rs
@@ -714,7 +714,12 @@ impl Subcommand {
   }
 
   fn variables(justfile: &Justfile) {
-    for (i, (_, assignment)) in justfile.assignments.iter().enumerate() {
+    for (i, (_, assignment)) in justfile
+      .assignments
+      .iter()
+      .filter(|(_, binding)| !binding.private)
+      .enumerate()
+    {
       if i > 0 {
         print!(" ");
       }
diff --git a/tests/evaluate.rs b/tests/evaluate.rs
index 9c38b344a9..110184c837 100644
--- a/tests/evaluate.rs
+++ b/tests/evaluate.rs
@@ -77,3 +77,29 @@ test! {
   ",
   status: EXIT_FAILURE,
 }
+
+test! {
+  name:    evaluate_private,
+  justfile: "
+    [private]
+    foo := 'one'
+    bar := 'two'
+    _baz := 'three'
+  ",
+  args:   ("--evaluate"),
+  stdout: "bar  := \"two\"\n",
+  status: EXIT_SUCCESS,
+}
+
+test! {
+  name:    evaluate_single_private,
+  justfile: "
+    [private]
+    foo := 'one'
+    bar := 'two'
+    _baz := 'three'
+  ",
+  args:   ("--evaluate", "foo"),
+  stdout: "one",
+  status: EXIT_SUCCESS,
+}
diff --git a/tests/json.rs b/tests/json.rs
index 961bdfa4ff..bf962a1e3f 100644
--- a/tests/json.rs
+++ b/tests/json.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ fn assignment() {
           "export": false,
           "name": "foo",
           "value": "bar",
-          "depth": 0,
+          "private": false,
         }
       },
       "first": null,
@@ -114,6 +114,60 @@ fn assignment() {
   );
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn private_assignment() {
+  case(
+    "
+      _foo := 'foo'
+      [private]
+      bar := 'bar'
+    ",
+    json!({
+      "aliases": {},
+      "assignments": {
+        "_foo": {
+          "export": false,
+          "name": "_foo",
+          "value": "foo",
+          "private": true,
+        },
+        "bar": {
+          "export": false,
+          "name": "bar",
+          "value": "bar",
+          "private": true,
+        },
+      },
+      "first": null,
+      "doc": null,
+      "groups": [],
+      "modules": {},
+      "recipes": {},
+      "settings": {
+        "allow_duplicate_recipes": false,
+        "allow_duplicate_variables": false,
+        "dotenv_filename": null,
+        "dotenv_load": false,
+        "dotenv_path": null,
+        "dotenv_required": false,
+        "export": false,
+        "fallback": false,
+        "ignore_comments": false,
+        "positional_arguments": false,
+        "quiet": false,
+        "shell": null,
+        "tempdir" : null,
+        "unstable": false,
+        "windows_powershell": false,
+        "windows_shell": null,
+        "working_directory" : null,
+      },
+      "unexports": [],
+      "warnings": [],
+    }),
+  );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn body() {
   case(
@@ -271,7 +325,7 @@ fn dependency_argument() {
           "export": false,
           "name": "x",
           "value": "foo",
-          "depth": 0,
+          "private": false,
         },
       },
       "groups": [],
@@ -435,7 +489,7 @@ fn duplicate_variables() {
           "export": false,
           "name": "x",
           "value": "bar",
-          "depth": 0,
+          "private": false,
         }
       },
       "first": null,
diff --git a/tests/private.rs b/tests/private.rs
index 9ab0cd82ce..73d4636c59 100644
--- a/tests/private.rs
+++ b/tests/private.rs
@@ -38,3 +38,19 @@ fn private_attribute_for_alias() {
     )
     .run();
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn private_variables_are_not_listed() {
+  Test::new()
+    .justfile(
+      "
+      [private]
+      foo := 'one'
+      bar := 'two'
+      _baz := 'three'
+      ",
+    )
+    .args(["--variables"])
+    .stdout("bar\n")
+    .run();
+}