diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 6c0ca46..a7fdad5 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ Changes in sphinx-automodapi
 0.18.0 (unreleased)
 -------------------
 
+- Fixed an issue where items defined in ``__all__`` but originally imported
+  from elsewhere, e.g. a private module, were not documented. [#190]
+
 0.17.0 (2024-02-22)
 -------------------
 
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/README.md b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0381ea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Importing a class from a private submodule to a public submodule
+at the same level of hierarchy in the module.
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/input/index.rst b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/input/index.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37d01fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/input/index.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+.. automodapi:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Camelot.rst b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Camelot.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..becaa5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Camelot.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Camelot
+=======
+
+.. currentmodule:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+
+.. autoclass:: Camelot
+   :show-inheritance:
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Spam.rst b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Spam.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf19304
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/api/sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public.Spam.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Spam
+====
+
+.. currentmodule:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+
+.. autoclass:: Spam
+   :show-inheritance:
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodapi b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodapi
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d285595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodapi
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public Module
+----------------------------------------------------
+
+.. automodule:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+
+Classes
+^^^^^^^
+
+.. automodsumm:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+    :classes-only:
+    :toctree: api
+
+Class Inheritance Diagram
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+.. automod-diagram:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+    :private-bases:
+    :parts: 1
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodsumm b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodsumm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7eade32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/cases/public_from_private/output/index.rst.automodsumm
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+.. currentmodule:: sphinx_automodapi.tests.example_module.public
+
+.. autosummary::
+    :toctree: api
+
+    Camelot
+    Spam
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/_private.py b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/_private.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d10c9db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/_private.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+class Camelot:
+    """
+    It's a silly place anyway
+    """
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/public.py b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/public.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..035a9b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/tests/example_module/public.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+from ._private import Camelot
+from .classes import Spam
+
+__all__ = [
+    'Camelot',
+    'Spam'
+]
diff --git a/sphinx_automodapi/utils.py b/sphinx_automodapi/utils.py
index 1763fcb..38e7be4 100644
--- a/sphinx_automodapi/utils.py
+++ b/sphinx_automodapi/utils.py
@@ -50,9 +50,11 @@ def find_mod_objs(modname, onlylocals=False, sort=False):
     modname : str
         The name of the module to search.
     onlylocals : bool or list
-        If True, only attributes that are either members of `modname` OR one of
+        If `True`, only attributes that are either members of `modname` OR one of
         its modules or subpackages will be included.  If a list, only members
         of packages in the list are included. If `False`, selection is done.
+        This option is ignored if a module defines __all__ - in that case, __all__
+        is used to determine whether objects are public.
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ def find_mod_objs(modname, onlylocals=False, sort=False):
         # Optionally sort the items alphabetically
         if sort:
             pkgitems.sort()
-
+        onlylocals = False
     else:
         pkgitems = [(k, getattr(mod, k)) for k in dir(mod) if k[0] != "_"]
 
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index c320e6b..c0e74f2 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ extras =
     test: test
 commands =
     pip freeze
-    !cov: pytest --pyargs sphinx_automodapi
+    !cov: pytest --pyargs sphinx_automodapi {posargs}
     cov: pytest --pyargs sphinx_automodapi --cov sphinx_automodapi --cov-config={toxinidir}/setup.cfg {posargs}
     cov: coverage xml -o {toxinidir}/coverage.xml
 passenv = HOME, WINDIR, LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE, LANG, CC, CI