diff --git a/packages/cli-internal/.eslintrc.js b/packages/cli-internal/.eslintrc.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e2a53a6ad2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-internal/.eslintrc.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+module.exports = require('@backstage/cli/config/eslint-factory')(__dirname);
diff --git a/packages/cli-internal/catalog-info.yaml b/packages/cli-internal/catalog-info.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2f2a1c837a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-internal/catalog-info.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+apiVersion: backstage.io/v1alpha1
+kind: Component
+metadata:
+  name: internal-cli
+  title: '@internal/cli'
+spec:
+  lifecycle: experimental
+  type: backstage-node-library
+  owner: tooling-maintainers
diff --git a/packages/cli-internal/package.json b/packages/cli-internal/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..80c68c74d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-internal/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+{
+  "name": "@internal/cli",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "backstage": {
+    "role": "node-library",
+    "inline": true
+  },
+  "private": true,
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "https://github.com/backstage/backstage",
+    "directory": "packages/cli-internal"
+  },
+  "license": "Apache-2.0",
+  "main": "src/index.ts",
+  "types": "src/index.ts",
+  "files": [
+    "dist"
+  ],
+  "scripts": {
+    "lint": "backstage-cli package lint",
+    "test": "backstage-cli package test"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@backstage/cli-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+  },
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-internal/src/InternalCliPlugin.ts b/packages/cli-internal/src/InternalCliPlugin.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..62bf5013c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-internal/src/InternalCliPlugin.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { BackstageCommand, CliPlugin } from '@backstage/cli-plugin-api';
+import { OpaqueType } from '@internal/opaque';
+
+export const OpaqueCliPlugin = OpaqueType.create<{
+  public: CliPlugin;
+  versions: {
+    readonly version: 'v1';
+    readonly description: string;
+    init: (registry: {
+      addCommand: (command: BackstageCommand) => void;
+    }) => Promise<void>;
+  };
+}>({
+  type: '@backstage/CliPlugin',
+  versions: ['v1'],
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli-internal/src/index.ts b/packages/cli-internal/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a1dc8ad24c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-internal/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+export { OpaqueCliPlugin } from './InternalCliPlugin';
diff --git a/packages/cli-plugin-api/package.json b/packages/cli-plugin-api/package.json
index 051b764c6a..4d256f3c96 100644
--- a/packages/cli-plugin-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli-plugin-api/package.json
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
     "role": "cli-plugin"
   },
   "publishConfig": {
-    "access": "public"
+    "access": "public",
+    "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
+    "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
   },
   "homepage": "https://backstage.io",
   "repository": {
@@ -15,23 +17,8 @@
     "directory": "packages/cli-plugin-api"
   },
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
-  "exports": {
-    ".": "./src/index.ts",
-    "./internals": "./src/internals.ts",
-    "./package.json": "./package.json"
-  },
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "typesVersions": {
-    "*": {
-      "internals": [
-        "src/internals.ts"
-      ],
-      "package.json": [
-        "package.json"
-      ]
-    }
-  },
   "files": [
     "dist"
   ],
diff --git a/packages/cli-plugin-api/report-internals.api.md b/packages/cli-plugin-api/report-internals.api.md
deleted file mode 100644
index b5721e6972..0000000000
--- a/packages/cli-plugin-api/report-internals.api.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,60 +0,0 @@
-## API Report File for "@backstage/cli-plugin-api"
-
-> Do not edit this file. It is a report generated by [API Extractor](https://api-extractor.com/).
-
-```ts
-// @public
-export interface BackstageCommand {
-  // (undocumented)
-  deprecated?: boolean;
-  // (undocumented)
-  description: string;
-  // (undocumented)
-  execute:
-    | CommandExecuteFn
-    | {
-        loader: () => Promise<{
-          default: CommandExecuteFn;
-        }>;
-      };
-  // (undocumented)
-  experimental?: boolean;
-  // (undocumented)
-  path: string[];
-}
-
-// @public
-export interface CliPlugin {
-  // (undocumented)
-  readonly $$type: '@backstage/CliPlugin';
-  // (undocumented)
-  readonly pluginId: string;
-}
-
-// @public
-export interface CommandContext {
-  // (undocumented)
-  args: string[];
-  // (undocumented)
-  info: {
-    usage: string;
-    description: string;
-  };
-}
-
-// @public
-export type CommandExecuteFn = (context: CommandContext) => Promise<void>;
-
-// @public
-export function initializeCliPlugin(
-  plugin: CliPlugin,
-  registry: {
-    addCommand: (command: BackstageCommand) => void;
-  },
-): Promise<void>;
-
-// @public
-export function isCliPlugin(value: unknown): value is CliPlugin;
-
-// (No @packageDocumentation comment for this package)
-```
diff --git a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/createCliPlugin.ts b/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/createCliPlugin.ts
index df2d3e02fd..7a8d299394 100644
--- a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/createCliPlugin.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/createCliPlugin.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { OpaqueCliPlugin } from '@internal/cli';
 import { describeParentCallSite } from './describeParentCallSite';
-import { BackstageCommand, CliPlugin, OpaqueCliPlugin } from './types';
+import { BackstageCommand, CliPlugin } from './types';
 
 /**
  * Creates a new CLI plugin that provides commands to the Backstage CLI.
diff --git a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/internals.ts b/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/internals.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f851decbad..0000000000
--- a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/internals.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2024 The Backstage Authors
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
- * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
- * You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-import { BackstageCommand, CliPlugin, OpaqueCliPlugin } from './types';
-
-export type {
-  BackstageCommand,
-  CliPlugin,
-  CommandContext,
-  CommandExecuteFn,
-} from './types';
-
-/**
- * Checks whether a value is a {@link CliPlugin}.
- *
- * @public
- */
-export function isCliPlugin(value: unknown): value is CliPlugin {
-  return OpaqueCliPlugin.isType(value);
-}
-
-/**
- * Initializes a CLI plugin by calling its init function with the provided
- * command registry.
- *
- * @public
- */
-export async function initializeCliPlugin(
-  plugin: CliPlugin,
-  registry: { addCommand: (command: BackstageCommand) => void },
-): Promise<void> {
-  const internal = OpaqueCliPlugin.toInternal(plugin);
-  await internal.init(registry);
-}
diff --git a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/types.ts b/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/types.ts
index 1736537580..42d006ce5c 100644
--- a/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-plugin-api/src/types.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
-import { OpaqueType } from '@internal/opaque';
 
 /**
  * The context provided to a CLI command when it is executed.
@@ -74,18 +73,3 @@ export interface CliPlugin {
   readonly pluginId: string;
   readonly $$type: '@backstage/CliPlugin';
 }
-
-/** @internal */
-export const OpaqueCliPlugin = OpaqueType.create<{
-  public: CliPlugin;
-  versions: {
-    readonly version: 'v1';
-    readonly description: string;
-    init: (registry: {
-      addCommand: (command: BackstageCommand) => void;
-    }) => Promise<void>;
-  };
-}>({
-  type: '@backstage/CliPlugin',
-  versions: ['v1'],
-});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/wiring/CliInitializer.ts b/packages/cli/src/wiring/CliInitializer.ts
index 72269f3274..bd31930854 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/wiring/CliInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/wiring/CliInitializer.ts
@@ -15,10 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 import { CommandGraph } from './CommandGraph';
-import {
-  isCliPlugin,
-  initializeCliPlugin,
-} from '@backstage/cli-plugin-api/internals';
+import { OpaqueCliPlugin } from '@internal/cli';
 import type { BackstageCommand, CliFeature } from '@backstage/cli-plugin-api';
 import { CommandRegistry } from './CommandRegistry';
 import { Command } from 'commander';
@@ -57,8 +54,9 @@ export class CliInitializer {
   }
 
   async #register(feature: CliFeature) {
-    if (isCliPlugin(feature)) {
-      await initializeCliPlugin(feature, this.commandRegistry);
+    if (OpaqueCliPlugin.isType(feature)) {
+      const internal = OpaqueCliPlugin.toInternal(feature);
+      await internal.init(this.commandRegistry);
     } else {
       throw new Error(`Unsupported feature type: ${(feature as any).$$type}`);
     }
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 2173b5a314..2ef9ed9764 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -9680,6 +9680,15 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@internal/cli@workspace:packages/cli-internal":
+  version: 0.0.0-use.local
+  resolution: "@internal/cli@workspace:packages/cli-internal"
+  dependencies:
+    "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/cli-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+  languageName: unknown
+  linkType: soft
+
 "@internal/frontend@workspace:packages/frontend-internal":
   version: 0.0.0-use.local
   resolution: "@internal/frontend@workspace:packages/frontend-internal"