diff --git a/.importlinter b/.importlinter
index 98997d1a2..5aad15ed9 100644
--- a/.importlinter
+++ b/.importlinter
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ root_packages =
     openedx_tagging
     openedx_django_lib
     openedx_core
+contract_types =
+    isolated_apps: test_utils.isolated_apps_contract.IsolatedAppsContract
 
 # This is layering between our top-level src folders (mostly Django apps).
 # This should be updated as new Django apps are added.
@@ -76,3 +78,17 @@ layers=
     # to create Learning Packages and manage the draft and publish states for
     # various types of content.
     openedx_content.applets.publishing
+
+# Mirrors openedx-platform's isolated-apps contract (see test_utils/isolated_apps_contract.py):
+# code outside an isolated app may only import its public modules (api, models_api, data,
+# tests). src_layering above only controls which top-level packages may depend on which.
+[importlinter:contract:isolated_apps]
+name = "code outside an isolated app only reaches its public API"
+type = isolated_apps
+isolated_apps =
+    openedx_catalog
+allowed_modules =
+    api
+    models_api
+    data
+    tests
diff --git a/test_utils/isolated_apps_contract.py b/test_utils/isolated_apps_contract.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b8620c86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_utils/isolated_apps_contract.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+"""
+An import-linter contract that flags imports of an isolated app's private modules.
+
+Ported from openedx-platform's ``openedx.testing.importlinter.isolated_apps_contract``,
+since this library can't depend on openedx-platform.
+"""
+
+from importlinter import Contract, ContractCheck, fields, output
+
+
+class IsolatedAppsContract(Contract):
+    """
+    Contract that defines most of an 'app' (python package) as private, and
+    ensures that python code outside of the package doesn't import anything
+    other than the public API defined in the package's `api.py` file.
+    """
+    isolated_apps = fields.ListField(subfield=fields.StringField())
+    # List of allowed modules (like ["api", "urls"] to allow "import x.api")
+    allowed_modules = fields.ListField(subfield=fields.StringField())
+
+    def check(self, graph, verbose):
+        forbidden_imports_found = []
+        # pylint can't tell import-linter replaces these Field descriptors with lists.
+        isolated_apps = list(self.isolated_apps)
+        allowed_modules = list(self.allowed_modules)
+
+        for package in isolated_apps:
+            output.verbose_print(
+                verbose,
+                f"Getting import details for anything that imports {package}..."
+            )
+            modules = graph.find_descendants(package)
+            for module in modules:
+                # We have a list of modules like "api.py" that *are* allowed to be imported from anywhere:
+                for allowed_module in allowed_modules:
+                    if module.endswith(f".{allowed_module}"):
+                        break
+                else:
+                    # See who is importing this:
+                    importers = graph.find_modules_that_directly_import(module)
+                    for importer in importers:
+                        if importer.startswith(package):
+                            continue  # Ignore imports from within the same package
+                        # Add this import to our list of contract violations:
+                        import_details = graph.get_import_details(importer=importer, imported=module)
+                        for import_detail in import_details:
+                            forbidden_imports_found.append({**import_detail, "package": package})
+
+        return ContractCheck(
+            kept=not bool(forbidden_imports_found),
+            metadata={
+                'forbidden_imports_found': forbidden_imports_found,
+            }
+        )
+
+    def render_broken_contract(self, check):
+        for details in check.metadata['forbidden_imports_found']:
+            package = details['package']
+            importer = details['importer']
+            line_number = details['line_number']
+            line_contents = details['line_contents']
+            output.print_error(f'{importer}:{line_number}: imported from non-public API of {package}:')
+            output.indent_cursor()
+            output.print_error(line_contents)
+            output.new_line()