diff --git a/cobaya/component.py b/cobaya/component.py
index 001be5e7..c1b5cdde 100644
--- a/cobaya/component.py
+++ b/cobaya/component.py
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ class CobayaComponent(HasLogger, HasDefaults):
     _at_resume_prefer_new: List[str] = ["version"]
     _at_resume_prefer_old: List[str] = []
 
-    enforce_types: bool = False
+    _enforce_types: bool = False
 
     def __init__(self, info: InfoDictIn = empty_dict,
                  name: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ def __init__(self, info: InfoDictIn = empty_dict,
                                             " are set (%s, %s)", self, e)
             raise
 
-        if self.enforce_types:
+        if self._enforce_types:
             self.validate_attributes()
 
     def set_timing_on(self, on):
diff --git a/tests/test_type_checking.py b/tests/test_type_checking.py
index 65fd10a0..2a921627 100644
--- a/tests/test_type_checking.py
+++ b/tests/test_type_checking.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class GenericLike(Likelihood):
     params: Dict[str, List[float]] = {"a": [0.0, 1.0], "b": [0, 1]}
     tuple_params: Tuple[float, float] = (0.0, 1.0)
 
-    enforce_types = True
+    _enforce_types = True
 
     def logp(self, **params_values):
         return 1
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def logp(self, **params_values):
 def test_sampler_types():
     original_info: InputDict = {
         "likelihood": {"like": GenericLike},
-        "sampler": {"mcmc": {"max_samples": 1, "enforce_types": True}},
+        "sampler": {"mcmc": {"max_samples": 1}},
     }
     _ = run(original_info)
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class GenericComponent(CobayaComponent):
     params: Dict[str, List[float]] = {"a": [0.0, 1.0], "b": [0, 1]}
     tuple_params: Tuple[float, float] = (0.0, 1.0)
 
-    enforce_types = True
+    _enforce_types = True
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def __init__(
         params,
         tuple_params,
     ):
-        if self.enforce_types:
+        if self._enforce_types:
             super().validate_attributes()