diff --git a/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py b/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
index fe89915998..ad36255dab 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/table/__init__.py
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ def location(self) -> str:
     def last_sequence_number(self) -> int:
         return self.metadata.last_sequence_number
 
-    def next_sequence_number(self) -> int:
+    def _next_sequence_number(self) -> int:
         return INITIAL_SEQUENCE_NUMBER if self.format_version == 1 else self.last_sequence_number + 1
 
     def new_snapshot_id(self) -> int: