diff --git a/modguard/cli.py b/modguard/cli.py
index 08dbf4e3..63b93bb4 100644
--- a/modguard/cli.py
+++ b/modguard/cli.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import argparse
 import os
 import sys
-from modguard.check import check, ErrorInfo
-from modguard.init import init_project
+from .check import check, ErrorInfo
+from .init import init_project
 
 
 class BCOLORS:
diff --git a/modguard/parsing/public.py b/modguard/parsing/public.py
index 31892fa9..a70d545d 100644
--- a/modguard/parsing/public.py
+++ b/modguard/parsing/public.py
@@ -14,14 +14,15 @@ def __init__(self, module_name: str):
         self.import_found = False
 
     def visit_ImportFrom(self, node):
-        is_modguard_module_import = node.module is not None and (
-            node.module == "modguard" or node.module.startswith("modguard.")
-        )
-        if is_modguard_module_import and any(
-            alias.name == self.module_name for alias in node.names
-        ):
-            self.import_found = True
-            return
+        if self.module_name:
+            is_modguard_module_import = node.module is not None and (
+                node.module == "modguard" or node.module.startswith("modguard.")
+            )
+            if is_modguard_module_import and any(
+                alias.name == self.module_name for alias in node.names
+            ):
+                self.import_found = True
+                return
         self.generic_visit(node)
 
     def visit_Import(self, node):
@@ -32,6 +33,12 @@ def visit_Import(self, node):
         self.generic_visit(node)
 
 
+def is_modguard_imported(parsed_ast: ast.AST, module_name: str = "") -> bool:
+    modguard_import_visitor = ModguardImportVisitor(module_name)
+    modguard_import_visitor.visit(parsed_ast)
+    return modguard_import_visitor.import_found
+
+
 class PublicMemberVisitor(ast.NodeVisitor):
     def __init__(self, current_mod_path: str, is_package: bool = False):
         self.is_modguard_public_imported = False
@@ -104,20 +111,41 @@ def visit_Call(self, node):
         top_level_expr = isinstance(parent_node, ast.Expr) and isinstance(
             parent_node.parent, ast.Module
         )
+        is_raw_public_call = (
+            isinstance(node.func, ast.Name) and node.func.id == "public"
+        )
+        is_modguard_public_call = (
+            isinstance(node.func, ast.Attribute)
+            and isinstance(node.func.value, ast.Name)
+            and node.func.value.id == "modguard"
+            and node.func.attr == "public"
+        )
         if (
             self.is_modguard_public_imported
             and (top_level or top_level_expr)
-            and isinstance(node.func, ast.Name)
-            and node.func.id == "public"
+            and (is_raw_public_call or is_modguard_public_call)
         ):
             # public() has been called at the top-level,
-            # so we add it as the sole PublicMember and return
-            self.public_members = [
-                PublicMember(
-                    name="",
-                    allowlist=self._extract_allowlist(node),
+            if node.args:
+                # if public is given positional arguments, add each as a public member
+                self.public_members.extend(
+                    (
+                        PublicMember(
+                            name=arg.id,
+                            allowlist=self._extract_allowlist(node),
+                        )
+                        for arg in node.args
+                        if isinstance(arg, ast.Name)
+                    )
                 )
-            ]
+            else:
+                # if no positional arguments, we add a PublicMember for the whole module and return
+                self.public_members = [
+                    PublicMember(
+                        name="",
+                        allowlist=self._extract_allowlist(node),
+                    )
+                ]
             return
         self.generic_visit(node)
 
@@ -226,9 +254,7 @@ def mark_as_public(file_path: str, member_name: str = ""):
     except SyntaxError as e:
         raise ModguardParseError(f"Syntax error in {file_path}: {e}")
 
-    modguard_import_visitor = ModguardImportVisitor("public")
-    modguard_import_visitor.visit(parsed_ast)
-    modguard_public_is_imported = modguard_import_visitor.import_found
+    modguard_public_is_imported = is_modguard_imported(parsed_ast, "public")
 
     if not member_name:
         with open(file_path, "w") as file: