diff --git a/docs/reference/gio/gio-sections.txt b/docs/reference/gio/gio-sections.txt
index 930f6cd73..73890aa78 100644
--- a/docs/reference/gio/gio-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/gio/gio-sections.txt
@@ -2454,7 +2454,6 @@ g_dbus_connection_get_type
 <FILE>gdbusmethodinvocation</FILE>
 <TITLE>GDBusMethodInvocation</TITLE>
 GDBusMethodInvocation
-g_dbus_method_invocation_new
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_sender
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_object_path
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_interface_name
diff --git a/gio/gdbusconnection.c b/gio/gdbusconnection.c
index c0187874b..fcefb6c65 100644
--- a/gio/gdbusconnection.c
+++ b/gio/gdbusconnection.c
@@ -4370,15 +4370,15 @@ validate_and_maybe_schedule_method_call (GDBusConnection            *connection,
   g_variant_type_free (in_type);
 
   /* schedule the call in idle */
-  invocation = g_dbus_method_invocation_new (g_dbus_message_get_sender (message),
-                                             g_dbus_message_get_path (message),
-                                             g_dbus_message_get_interface (message),
-                                             g_dbus_message_get_member (message),
-                                             method_info,
-                                             connection,
-                                             message,
-                                             parameters,
-                                             user_data);
+  invocation = _g_dbus_method_invocation_new (g_dbus_message_get_sender (message),
+                                              g_dbus_message_get_path (message),
+                                              g_dbus_message_get_interface (message),
+                                              g_dbus_message_get_member (message),
+                                              method_info,
+                                              connection,
+                                              message,
+                                              parameters,
+                                              user_data);
   g_variant_unref (parameters);
 
   /* TODO: would be nicer with a real MethodData like we already
diff --git a/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.c b/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.c
index a9ea05b99..a84f92b70 100644
--- a/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.c
+++ b/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.c
@@ -279,8 +279,8 @@ g_dbus_method_invocation_get_user_data (GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation)
   return invocation->user_data;
 }
 
-/**
- * g_dbus_method_invocation_new:
+/* < internal >
+ * _g_dbus_method_invocation_new:
  * @sender: The bus name that invoked the method or %NULL if @connection is not a bus connection.
  * @object_path: The object path the method was invoked on.
  * @interface_name: The name of the D-Bus interface the method was invoked on.
@@ -298,15 +298,15 @@ g_dbus_method_invocation_get_user_data (GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation)
  * Since: 2.26
  */
 GDBusMethodInvocation *
-g_dbus_method_invocation_new (const gchar           *sender,
-                              const gchar           *object_path,
-                              const gchar           *interface_name,
-                              const gchar           *method_name,
-                              const GDBusMethodInfo *method_info,
-                              GDBusConnection       *connection,
-                              GDBusMessage          *message,
-                              GVariant              *parameters,
-                              gpointer               user_data)
+_g_dbus_method_invocation_new (const gchar           *sender,
+                               const gchar           *object_path,
+                               const gchar           *interface_name,
+                               const gchar           *method_name,
+                               const GDBusMethodInfo *method_info,
+                               GDBusConnection       *connection,
+                               GDBusMessage          *message,
+                               GVariant              *parameters,
+                               gpointer               user_data)
 {
   GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation;
 
diff --git a/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.h b/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.h
index 625d208f7..550313e8b 100644
--- a/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.h
+++ b/gio/gdbusmethodinvocation.h
@@ -36,15 +36,6 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 #define G_IS_DBUS_METHOD_INVOCATION(o)        (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((o), G_TYPE_DBUS_METHOD_INVOCATION))
 
 GType                  g_dbus_method_invocation_get_type             (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
-GDBusMethodInvocation *g_dbus_method_invocation_new                  (const gchar           *sender,
-                                                                      const gchar           *object_path,
-                                                                      const gchar           *interface_name,
-                                                                      const gchar           *method_name,
-                                                                      const GDBusMethodInfo *method_info,
-                                                                      GDBusConnection       *connection,
-                                                                      GDBusMessage          *message,
-                                                                      GVariant              *parameters,
-                                                                      gpointer               user_data);
 const gchar           *g_dbus_method_invocation_get_sender           (GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation);
 const gchar           *g_dbus_method_invocation_get_object_path      (GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation);
 const gchar           *g_dbus_method_invocation_get_interface_name   (GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation);
diff --git a/gio/gdbusprivate.h b/gio/gdbusprivate.h
index ec58c119c..0218a228e 100644
--- a/gio/gdbusprivate.h
+++ b/gio/gdbusprivate.h
@@ -114,4 +114,16 @@ gchar *_g_dbus_enum_to_string (GType enum_type, gint value);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+GDBusMethodInvocation *_g_dbus_method_invocation_new (const gchar           *sender,
+                                                      const gchar           *object_path,
+                                                      const gchar           *interface_name,
+                                                      const gchar           *method_name,
+                                                      const GDBusMethodInfo *method_info,
+                                                      GDBusConnection       *connection,
+                                                      GDBusMessage          *message,
+                                                      GVariant              *parameters,
+                                                      gpointer               user_data);
+
 #endif /* __G_DBUS_PRIVATE_H__ */
diff --git a/gio/gio.symbols b/gio/gio.symbols
index 7993e8d2e..bb0811077 100644
--- a/gio/gio.symbols
+++ b/gio/gio.symbols
@@ -1748,7 +1748,6 @@ g_dbus_message_set_unix_fd_list
 #if IN_HEADER(__G_DBUS_METHOD_INVOCATION_H__)
 #if IN_FILE(__G_DBUS_METHOD_INVOCATION_C__)
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_type G_GNUC_CONST
-g_dbus_method_invocation_new
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_connection
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_interface_name
 g_dbus_method_invocation_get_message