diff --git a/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter.go b/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter.go
index 47ee77635b..4de82043aa 100644
--- a/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter.go
+++ b/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter.go
@@ -11,7 +11,14 @@ const (
 )
 
 // NewFormat returns a format for use with a checkpoint Context
+//
+// Deprecated: this function was only used internally and will be removed in the next release.
 func NewFormat(source string) formatter.Format {
+	return newFormat(source)
+}
+
+// newFormat returns a format for use with a checkpointContext.
+func newFormat(source string) formatter.Format {
 	if source == formatter.TableFormatKey {
 		return defaultCheckpointFormat
 	}
@@ -19,7 +26,14 @@ func NewFormat(source string) formatter.Format {
 }
 
 // FormatWrite writes formatted checkpoints using the Context
-func FormatWrite(ctx formatter.Context, checkpoints []checkpoint.Summary) error {
+//
+// Deprecated: this function was only used internally and will be removed in the next release.
+func FormatWrite(fmtCtx formatter.Context, checkpoints []checkpoint.Summary) error {
+	return formatWrite(fmtCtx, checkpoints)
+}
+
+// formatWrite writes formatted checkpoints using the Context
+func formatWrite(fmtCtx formatter.Context, checkpoints []checkpoint.Summary) error {
 	render := func(format func(subContext formatter.SubContext) error) error {
 		for _, cp := range checkpoints {
 			if err := format(&checkpointContext{c: cp}); err != nil {
@@ -28,7 +42,7 @@ func FormatWrite(ctx formatter.Context, checkpoints []checkpoint.Summary) error
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
-	return ctx.Write(newCheckpointContext(), render)
+	return fmtCtx.Write(newCheckpointContext(), render)
 }
 
 type checkpointContext struct {
diff --git a/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter_test.go b/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter_test.go
index 7f265294ba..1cca11e243 100644
--- a/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter_test.go
+++ b/cli/command/checkpoint/formatter_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func TestCheckpointContextFormatWrite(t *testing.T) {
 		expected string
 	}{
 		{
-			formatter.Context{Format: NewFormat(defaultCheckpointFormat)},
+			formatter.Context{Format: newFormat(defaultCheckpointFormat)},
 			`CHECKPOINT NAME
 checkpoint-1
 checkpoint-2
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ checkpoint-3
 `,
 		},
 		{
-			formatter.Context{Format: NewFormat("{{.Name}}")},
+			formatter.Context{Format: newFormat("{{.Name}}")},
 			`checkpoint-1
 checkpoint-2
 checkpoint-3
 `,
 		},
 		{
-			formatter.Context{Format: NewFormat("{{.Name}}:")},
+			formatter.Context{Format: newFormat("{{.Name}}:")},
 			`checkpoint-1:
 checkpoint-2:
 checkpoint-3:
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ checkpoint-3:
 	for _, testcase := range cases {
 		out := bytes.NewBufferString("")
 		testcase.context.Output = out
-		err := FormatWrite(testcase.context, []checkpoint.Summary{
+		err := formatWrite(testcase.context, []checkpoint.Summary{
 			{Name: "checkpoint-1"},
 			{Name: "checkpoint-2"},
 			{Name: "checkpoint-3"},
diff --git a/cli/command/checkpoint/list.go b/cli/command/checkpoint/list.go
index 55344e08c9..0fe7696868 100644
--- a/cli/command/checkpoint/list.go
+++ b/cli/command/checkpoint/list.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func runList(ctx context.Context, dockerCli command.Cli, container string, opts
 
 	cpCtx := formatter.Context{
 		Output: dockerCli.Out(),
-		Format: NewFormat(formatter.TableFormatKey),
+		Format: newFormat(formatter.TableFormatKey),
 	}
-	return FormatWrite(cpCtx, checkpoints)
+	return formatWrite(cpCtx, checkpoints)
 }