diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 5bccb80a64d..965b88fc11f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Please view this file on the master branch, on stable branches it's out of date.
 
 v 8.5.0 (unreleased)
-  - Add "public" flag to GET /projects api endpoint
+  - Add "visibility" flag to GET /projects api endpoint
 
 v 8.4.0 (unreleased)
   - Ensure Gravatar host looks like an actual host
diff --git a/app/models/project.rb b/app/models/project.rb
index 7e131151513..56db0ce6cf6 100644
--- a/app/models/project.rb
+++ b/app/models/project.rb
@@ -272,6 +272,10 @@ class Project < ActiveRecord::Base
               query: "%#{query.try(:downcase)}%")
     end
 
+    def search_by_visibility(level)
+      where(visibility_level: visibility_levels[level.capitalize])
+    end
+
     def search_by_title(query)
       where('projects.archived = ?', false).where('LOWER(projects.name) LIKE :query', query: "%#{query.downcase}%")
     end
diff --git a/doc/api/groups.md b/doc/api/groups.md
index c6f1975bdac..d47e79ba47f 100644
--- a/doc/api/groups.md
+++ b/doc/api/groups.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ GET /groups/:id/projects
 Parameters:
 
 - `archived` (optional) - if passed, limit by archived status
-- `public` (optional) - if passed, limit by public visibility
+- `visibility` (optional) - if passed, limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, `private`
 - `order_by` (optional) - Return requests ordered by `id`, `name`, `path`, `created_at`, `updated_at` or `last_activity_at` fields. Default is `created_at`
 - `sort` (optional) - Return requests sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`
 - `search` (optional) - Return list of authorized projects according to a search criteria
diff --git a/doc/api/projects.md b/doc/api/projects.md
index 8b9dec46f38..3f372c955d2 100644
--- a/doc/api/projects.md
+++ b/doc/api/projects.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ GET /projects
 Parameters:
 
 - `archived` (optional) - if passed, limit by archived status
-- `public` (optional) - if passed, limit by public visibility
+- `visibility` (optional) - if passed, limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, `private`
 - `order_by` (optional) - Return requests ordered by `id`, `name`, `path`, `created_at`, `updated_at` or `last_activity_at` fields. Default is `created_at`
 - `sort` (optional) - Return requests sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`
 - `search` (optional) - Return list of authorized projects according to a search criteria
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ GET /projects/owned
 Parameters:
 
 - `archived` (optional) - if passed, limit by archived status
-- `public` (optional) - if passed, limit by public visibility
+- `visibility` (optional) - if passed, limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, `private`
 - `order_by` (optional) - Return requests ordered by `id`, `name`, `path`, `created_at`, `updated_at` or `last_activity_at` fields. Default is `created_at`
 - `sort` (optional) - Return requests sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`
 - `search` (optional) - Return list of authorized projects according to a search criteria
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ GET /projects/starred
 Parameters:
 
 - `archived` (optional) - if passed, limit by archived status
-- `public` (optional) - if passed, limit by public visibility
+- `visibility` (optional) - if passed, limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, `private`
 - `order_by` (optional) - Return requests ordered by `id`, `name`, `path`, `created_at`, `updated_at` or `last_activity_at` fields. Default is `created_at`
 - `sort` (optional) - Return requests sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`
 - `search` (optional) - Return list of authorized projects according to a search criteria
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ GET /projects/all
 Parameters:
 
 - `archived` (optional) - if passed, limit by archived status
-- `public` (optional) - if passed, limit by public visibility
+- `visibility` (optional) - if passed, limit by visibility `public`, `internal`, `private`
 - `order_by` (optional) - Return requests ordered by `id`, `name`, `path`, `created_at`, `updated_at` or `last_activity_at` fields. Default is `created_at`
 - `sort` (optional) - Return requests sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc`
 - `search` (optional) - Return list of authorized projects according to a search criteria
diff --git a/lib/api/helpers.rb b/lib/api/helpers.rb
index 68d0aa671b6..3f528b9f7c0 100644
--- a/lib/api/helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/api/helpers.rb
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ module API
         projects = projects.search(params[:search])
       end
 
-      if params[:public].present? && parse_boolean(params[:public])
-        projects = projects.public_only
+      if params[:visibility].present?
+        projects = projects.search_by_visibility(params[:visibility])
       end
 
       projects.reorder(project_order_by => project_sort)