diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/storage.ts b/frontend/src/lib/storage.ts
index 65638887..de66b8b8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/storage.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/storage.ts
@@ -118,8 +118,9 @@ export function setAccountRaw(base: string, value: string): void {
 // --- typed read/write helpers (do the JSON + try/catch once) ----------------------------
 
 /** Read an object-shaped value merged over `defaults` (so missing/added keys are tolerated),
- * falling back to `defaults` on missing or corrupt data. */
-export function readMerged<T extends object>(key: string, defaults: T): T {
+ * falling back to `defaults` on missing or corrupt data. Module-private: its only caller is
+ * `readAccountMerged` above (exporting it makes knip flag it as an unused export). */
+function readMerged<T extends object>(key: string, defaults: T): T {
   try {
     return { ...defaults, ...JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(key) || "{}") };
   } catch {