diff --git a/lib/util/check-publish.js b/lib/util/check-publish.js
index 08727b21..8855a521 100644
--- a/lib/util/check-publish.js
+++ b/lib/util/check-publish.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const getPackageJson = require("./get-package-json")
  */
 module.exports = function checkForPublish(context, filePath, targets) {
     const packageInfo = getPackageJson(filePath)
-    if (!packageInfo) {
+    if (!packageInfo || packageInfo.private) {
         return
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/1/package.json b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/1/package.json
index c8fdd873..2347b88b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/1/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/1/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "private": true,
     "name": "test",
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "dependencies": {
@@ -8,4 +7,4 @@
     "devDependencies": {
         "bbb": "0.0.0"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/2/package.json b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/2/package.json
index c8fdd873..2347b88b 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/2/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/2/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "private": true,
     "name": "test",
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "dependencies": {
@@ -8,4 +7,4 @@
     "devDependencies": {
         "bbb": "0.0.0"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/3/package.json b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/3/package.json
index 374e4e50..b03210fb 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/3/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/3/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "private": true,
     "name": "test",
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "files": ["pub"],
@@ -9,4 +8,4 @@
     "devDependencies": {
         "bbb": "0.0.0"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/issue126/package.json b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/issue126/package.json
index 85a25a9d..11bec50f 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/issue126/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/issue126/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "private": true,
     "name": "test",
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "files": [
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/negative-in-files/package.json b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/negative-in-files/package.json
index 9c2cf99d..00347553 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/negative-in-files/package.json
+++ b/tests/fixtures/no-unpublished/negative-in-files/package.json
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "private": true,
     "name": "test",
     "version": "0.0.0",
     "files": [