diff --git a/src/tracker/api/messages.py b/src/tracker/api/messages.py
index 948c5c3..46c1eb6 100644
--- a/src/tracker/api/messages.py
+++ b/src/tracker/api/messages.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ async def create_message(req: MessageCreate, request: Request, db: AsyncSession
     author_slug = msg.author.slug if msg.author else "system"
 
     # Build response using shared converter
-    msg_data = _to_message_out(msg).model_dump()
+    msg_data = message_out(msg).model_dump()
 
     # Broadcast via WebSocket
     from tracker.ws.manager import manager
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ async def create_message(req: MessageCreate, request: Request, db: AsyncSession
                 {"type": "message.new", "data": msg_data},
                 exclude_slug=author_slug,
             )
-            return _to_message_out(msg)
+            return message_out(msg)
 
     if project_id:
         await manager.broadcast_message(project_id, msg_data, author_slug=author_slug)
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ async def create_message(req: MessageCreate, request: Request, db: AsyncSession
             exclude_slug=author_slug,
         )
 
-    return _to_message_out(msg)
+    return message_out(msg)
 
 
 @router.get("/messages/{message_id}/replies", response_model=list[MessageOut])
@@ -162,4 +162,4 @@ async def list_replies(message_id: str, db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db)):
         .options(selectinload(Message.attachments), selectinload(Message.author))
         .order_by(Message.created_at)
     )
-    return [_to_message_out(m) for m in result.scalars()]
+    return [message_out(m) for m in result.scalars()]
diff --git a/src/tracker/api/project_files.py b/src/tracker/api/project_files.py
index 0d337df..1ece69a 100644
--- a/src/tracker/api/project_files.py
+++ b/src/tracker/api/project_files.py
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ from sqlalchemy.orm import selectinload
 from tracker.database import get_db
 from tracker.models import ProjectFile, Project, Member
 from tracker.api.schemas import ProjectFileOut, MemberBrief
-from tracker.api.schemas import ProjectFileOut
-# Using unified schemas from schemas.py
 
 router = APIRouter(tags=["project-files"])
 
@@ -42,7 +40,7 @@ def _to_member_brief(member: Member | None) -> MemberBrief | None:
     )
 
 
-def _to_project_file_out(f: ProjectFile) -> ProjectFileOut:
+def project_file_out(f: ProjectFile) -> ProjectFileOut:
     """Convert ProjectFile to ProjectFileOut schema."""
     return ProjectFileOut(
         id=str(f.id),
@@ -88,7 +86,7 @@ async def list_project_files(
     q = q.order_by(ProjectFile.created_at.desc())
     result = await db.execute(q)
     
-    return [_to_project_file_out(f) for f in result.scalars().all()]
+    return [project_file_out(f) for f in result.scalars().all()]
 
 
 @router.post("/projects/{slug}/files", response_model=ProjectFileOut)
@@ -145,7 +143,7 @@ async def upload_project_file(
         await db.commit()
         await db.refresh(existing_file, ["uploader"])
         
-        return _to_project_file_out(existing_file)
+        return project_file_out(existing_file)
     else:
         pf = ProjectFile(
             project_id=project.id,
@@ -161,7 +159,7 @@ async def upload_project_file(
         await db.commit()
         await db.refresh(pf, ["uploader"])
         
-        return _to_project_file_out(pf)
+        return project_file_out(pf)
 
 
 @router.get("/projects/{slug}/files/{file_id}")
@@ -183,7 +181,7 @@ async def get_project_file(
     if not pf:
         raise HTTPException(404, "File not found")
     
-    return _to_project_file_out(pf)
+    return project_file_out(pf)
 
 
 @router.get("/projects/{slug}/files/{file_id}/download")
@@ -249,7 +247,7 @@ async def update_project_file(
     await db.commit()
     await db.refresh(pf)
     
-    return _to_project_file_out(pf)
+    return project_file_out(pf)
 
 
 @router.delete("/projects/{slug}/files/{file_id}")
diff --git a/src/tracker/api/steps.py b/src/tracker/api/steps.py
index 888c91d..c1db9c9 100644
--- a/src/tracker/api/steps.py
+++ b/src/tracker/api/steps.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ router = APIRouter(tags=["steps"])
 
 # --- Helpers ---
 
-def _to_step_out(s: Step) -> StepOut:
+def step_out(s: Step) -> StepOut:
     """Convert Step to StepOut schema."""
     return StepOut(
         id=str(s.id),
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ async def list_steps(task_id: str, db: AsyncSession = Depends(get_db)):
     result = await db.execute(
         select(Step).where(Step.task_id == uuid.UUID(task_id)).order_by(Step.position)
     )
-    return [_to_step_out(s) for s in result.scalars()]
+    return [step_out(s) for s in result.scalars()]
 
 
 @router.post("/tasks/{task_id}/steps", response_model=StepOut)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ async def create_step(task_id: str, req: StepCreate, db: AsyncSession = Depends(
     db.add(step)
     await db.commit()
     await db.refresh(step)
-    return _to_step_out(step)
+    return step_out(step)
 
 
 @router.patch("/tasks/{task_id}/steps/{step_id}", response_model=StepOut)
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ async def update_step(task_id: str, step_id: str, req: StepUpdate, db: AsyncSess
 
     await db.commit()
     await db.refresh(step)
-    return _to_step_out(step)
+    return step_out(step)
 
 
 @router.delete("/tasks/{task_id}/steps/{step_id}")