diff --git a/spylon/common.py b/spylon/common.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/spylon/common.py
+++ b/spylon/common.py
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ def as_iterable(iterable_or_scalar):
     else:
         return (iterable_or_scalar,)
 
+# preserve backwards compatibility
+_as_iterable = as_iterable
 
 @add_metaclass(ABCMeta)
 class JVMHelpers(object):
MNT: Need to preserve backwards compatibility