diff --git a/optimum/exporters/ipex/modeling_utils.py b/optimum/exporters/ipex/modeling_utils.py
index 35a242ac9..ccd98ce2e 100755
--- a/optimum/exporters/ipex/modeling_utils.py
+++ b/optimum/exporters/ipex/modeling_utils.py
@@ -501,8 +501,8 @@ def _gpt2_model_forward(
     )
 
 
-# To pass input_lens
-def gpt2_block_forward(
+# To pass input_lens, adapted from https://github.com/huggingface/transformers/blob/v4.46.3/src/transformers/models/gpt2/modeling_gpt2.py#L602
+def _gpt2_block_forward(
     self,
     hidden_states: Optional[Tuple[torch.FloatTensor]],
     layer_past: Optional[Tuple[torch.Tensor]] = None,