diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 61ab7d9e8..044a69821 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ RUN go mod download
 
 # copy source code
 COPY main.go main.go
-COPY controllers/ controllers/
 COPY internal/ internal/
 
 # build
diff --git a/controllers/alert_controller.go b/internal/controllers/alert_controller.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/alert_controller.go
rename to internal/controllers/alert_controller.go
diff --git a/controllers/alert_controller_test.go b/internal/controllers/alert_controller_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/alert_controller_test.go
rename to internal/controllers/alert_controller_test.go
diff --git a/controllers/provider_controller.go b/internal/controllers/provider_controller.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/provider_controller.go
rename to internal/controllers/provider_controller.go
diff --git a/controllers/provider_controller_test.go b/internal/controllers/provider_controller_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/provider_controller_test.go
rename to internal/controllers/provider_controller_test.go
diff --git a/controllers/receiver_controller.go b/internal/controllers/receiver_controller.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/receiver_controller.go
rename to internal/controllers/receiver_controller.go
diff --git a/controllers/receiver_controller_test.go b/internal/controllers/receiver_controller_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/receiver_controller_test.go
rename to internal/controllers/receiver_controller_test.go
diff --git a/controllers/suite_test.go b/internal/controllers/suite_test.go
similarity index 98%
rename from controllers/suite_test.go
rename to internal/controllers/suite_test.go
index 9c2302d3a..a224f84f3 100644
--- a/controllers/suite_test.go
+++ b/internal/controllers/suite_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
 	utilruntime.Must(apiv1b2.AddToScheme(scheme.Scheme))
 
 	testEnv = testenv.New(testenv.WithCRDPath(
-		filepath.Join("..", "config", "crd", "bases"),
+		filepath.Join("..", "..", "config", "crd", "bases"),
 	))
 
 	k8sClient, err = client.New(testEnv.Config, client.Options{Scheme: scheme.Scheme})
diff --git a/controllers/testdata/gitrepo2.yaml b/internal/controllers/testdata/gitrepo2.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/testdata/gitrepo2.yaml
rename to internal/controllers/testdata/gitrepo2.yaml
diff --git a/controllers/testdata/repo.yaml b/internal/controllers/testdata/repo.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from controllers/testdata/repo.yaml
rename to internal/controllers/testdata/repo.yaml
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 017d91b82..07ebbeb73 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ import (
 
 	apiv1 "github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/api/v1"
 	apiv1b2 "github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/api/v1beta2"
-	"github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/controllers"
+	"github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/internal/controllers"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/internal/features"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/notification-controller/internal/server"
 	// +kubebuilder:scaffold:imports