diff --git a/mlir/lib/Conversion/StandardToLLVM/StandardToLLVM.cpp b/mlir/lib/Conversion/StandardToLLVM/StandardToLLVM.cpp
--- a/mlir/lib/Conversion/StandardToLLVM/StandardToLLVM.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Conversion/StandardToLLVM/StandardToLLVM.cpp
@@ -256,10 +256,13 @@
                                 rewriter.getArrayAttr(newArgAttrs)));
     }
 
-    // Create an LLVM function, use external linkage by default until MLIR
-    // functions have linkage.
+    // Create an LLVM function, use external/internal linkage as specified by
+    // public/private attribute until MLIR functions have linkage.
+    LLVM::Linkage linkage = (funcOp.isPublic() || funcOp.isExternal())
+                                ? LLVM::Linkage::External
+                                : LLVM::Linkage::Private;
     auto newFuncOp = rewriter.create<LLVM::LLVMFuncOp>(
-        funcOp.getLoc(), funcOp.getName(), llvmType, LLVM::Linkage::External,
+        funcOp.getLoc(), funcOp.getName(), llvmType, linkage,
         /*dsoLocal*/ false, attributes);
     rewriter.inlineRegionBefore(funcOp.getBody(), newFuncOp.getBody(),
                                 newFuncOp.end());