diff --git a/scripts/deadcode_engine.py b/scripts/deadcode_engine.py
index f111b0d..4dcf2c2 100755
--- a/scripts/deadcode_engine.py
+++ b/scripts/deadcode_engine.py
@@ -2151,6 +2151,22 @@ def _detect_unused_exports(
 
     return unused[:200]
 
+# Issue #228: Rust trait methods that are routinely invoked implicitly —
+# via `#[derive(...)]`, generic trait dispatch, or `..Default::default()`
+# spread syntax — so the CALLS graph never records an edge and they surface
+# as ref_count==0 false positives at a far higher rate than normal functions.
+# Names taken from std's most-implemented traits (Default, Clone, Debug/Display,
+# Drop, PartialEq/Eq, Hash, Ord, From/Into, TryFrom/TryInto, AsRef, Deref,
+# Iterator, ToString, FromStr, serde, and the common operator traits).
+_RUST_TRAIT_DEFAULT_METHODS = {
+    "default", "clone", "clone_from", "fmt", "drop", "eq", "ne", "hash",
+    "cmp", "partial_cmp", "from", "into", "try_from", "try_into",
+    "as_ref", "as_mut", "borrow", "borrow_mut", "deref", "deref_mut",
+    "next", "to_string", "to_owned", "from_str", "serialize", "deserialize",
+    "add", "sub", "mul", "div", "rem", "index", "index_mut", "neg", "not",
+}
+
+
 def _detect_dead_from_registry(
     workspace: str,
     same_file_usages: Dict[str, Set[str]] = None
@@ -2253,6 +2269,16 @@ def _rust_symbol_is_test(file_path: str, line: int) -> bool:
             if node.get("component", False):
                 continue
 
+            # Issue #228: structural nodes are namespaces/containers, not
+            # callable entities. A module (`mod foo { ... }`, type == "module")
+            # is referenced by path, never "called". An impl block (synthetic
+            # `impl X` node, type == "impl", fn like `impl_X`, id like
+            # `file.rs:13:impl:X`) only groups methods — the methods inside are
+            # analyzed individually. Neither ever produces a CALLS edge, so both
+            # always show ref_count==0 and must never be flagged dead.
+            if node_type in ("module", "impl"):
+                continue
+
             # Issue #220: Skip symbols that are referenced within their own
             # file. The backend registry's ref_count is computed from CALLS
             # edges, which only capture function calls — not const/static
@@ -2272,10 +2298,19 @@ def _rust_symbol_is_test(file_path: str, line: int) -> bool:
             # Skip Rust inline test modules/functions (#[cfg(test)] mod tests,
             # #[test] fn ...) — see _rust_symbol_is_test docstring above.
             if file_path.endswith('.rs'):
-                if node_type == "module" and bare_name == "tests":
-                    continue
                 if _rust_symbol_is_test(file_path, line):
                     continue
+                # Issue #228: trait-method implementations (Default::default,
+                # Clone::clone, Debug::fmt, Drop::drop, PartialEq::eq,
+                # Hash::hash, etc.) are invoked implicitly through derive macros,
+                # generic trait dispatch, and `..Default::default()` spread —
+                # none of which the CALLS extractor can observe, so their
+                # false-positive rate is far higher than normal fns. Skip a
+                # targeted whitelist of well-known trait method names. This stays
+                # narrow: any standalone fn whose name is NOT on the list is
+                # still eligible for dead-code flagging.
+                if bare_name in _RUST_TRAIT_DEFAULT_METHODS:
+                    continue
 
             # Skip test fixtures and example files
             # v6.4: Expanded to catch examples/, e2e/, __tests__/, stories/
diff --git a/tests/test_issue228_rust_impl_dead.py b/tests/test_issue228_rust_impl_dead.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e1fca7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_issue228_rust_impl_dead.py
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+"""Regression guard for issue #228 — Rust modules / impl-blocks / trait-default
+methods must NOT be false-flagged as dead code, while a genuinely-dead
+standalone fn IS still flagged.
+
+WHY THIS EXISTS
+---------------
+`audit --check dead-code` (→ `detect_dead_code` → `_detect_dead_from_registry`)
+reads the backend registry and flags nodes with ref_count==0 / status=="dead".
+Three Rust structural/implicit patterns produce ref_count==0 in the raw graph
+even though they are never dead:
+
+  1. Module declarations (`mod foo { ... }`) — a namespace referenced by path,
+     never "called", so it emits no CALLS edge.
+  2. Impl blocks (synthetic `impl X` node, id `file.rs:LINE:impl:X`) — only the
+     methods inside are individually analyzed; the block itself is a container.
+  3. Trait-default methods (`default`, `clone`, `fmt`, `drop`, `eq`, `hash`, …)
+     — invoked implicitly via derive macros / `..Default::default()` / generic
+     trait dispatch, which the CALLS extractor can't see.
+
+The control (`orphan_helper`) is a truly-unreferenced standalone fn: it MUST
+still be reported dead, proving the fix narrows false positives without
+disabling genuine detection.
+"""
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+import pytest
+
+SCRIPT_DIR = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))), "scripts")
+sys.path.insert(0, SCRIPT_DIR)
+
+
+def _tree_sitter_available() -> bool:
+    try:
+        import tree_sitter  # noqa: F401
+        return True
+    except ImportError:
+        return False
+
+
+_TS = _tree_sitter_available()
+_SKIP = "tree-sitter not installed"
+
+
+# ─── Scan harness (mirrors tests/test_graph_accuracy_golden.py) ──────────
+
+def _run_scan(workspace: str) -> None:
+    """Run `codelens scan <workspace>` in-process to populate backend.json."""
+    import io
+    import contextlib
+    from codelens import main as codelens_main
+
+    old_argv = sys.argv
+    old_cwd = os.getcwd()
+    try:
+        sys.argv = ["codelens", "scan", workspace]
+        os.chdir(workspace)
+        with contextlib.redirect_stdout(io.StringIO()), contextlib.redirect_stderr(io.StringIO()):
+            try:
+                codelens_main()
+            except SystemExit:
+                pass
+    finally:
+        sys.argv = old_argv
+        os.chdir(old_cwd)
+
+
+# ─── Fixture: one Rust file exercising all four patterns ─────────────────
+
+_ISSUE228_RS = """\
+// Guards #228: modules, impl-blocks and trait-default methods must NOT be
+// flagged dead; a genuinely-unreferenced standalone fn MUST be.
+
+pub struct Widget {
+    label: String,
+}
+
+// (b) an impl block with a method that IS used (see `build` below).
+impl Widget {
+    pub fn describe(&self) -> &str {
+        &self.label
+    }
+}
+
+// (c) a trait-default method implemented via a trait impl. `default` is called
+// implicitly through `Widget::default()` / `..Default::default()` mechanisms
+// that the CALLS extractor cannot observe.
+impl Default for Widget {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Widget { label: String::from("widget") }
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn build() -> String {
+    let w = Widget::default();
+    w.describe().to_string()
+}
+
+// (d) GENUINELY dead: never referenced anywhere, not pub, not a trait method.
+fn orphan_helper() -> i32 {
+    99
+}
+
+// (a) a module declaration — a namespace referenced by path, never "called".
+mod helpers {
+    pub fn noop() {}
+}
+"""
+
+
+def _norm(s: str) -> str:
+    return str(s).replace("\\", "/")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def findings(tmp_path_factory):
+    """Scan a workspace with the issue #228 Rust fixture; return dead-code findings."""
+    if not _TS:
+        pytest.skip(_SKIP)
+    ws = str(tmp_path_factory.mktemp("issue228") / "ws")
+    os.makedirs(os.path.join(ws, "src"))
+    with open(os.path.join(ws, "src", "widget.rs"), "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        f.write(_ISSUE228_RS)
+    try:
+        _run_scan(ws)
+        from deadcode_engine import detect_dead_code
+        res = detect_dead_code(ws)
+        # registry_dead is where _detect_dead_from_registry results land.
+        reg = res.get("results", {}).get("registry_dead", [])
+        yield reg
+    finally:
+        shutil.rmtree(ws, ignore_errors=True)
+
+
+def _names(findings):
+    return {_norm(f.get("name", "")) for f in findings}
+
+
+class TestIssue228RustImplDead:
+    """modules / impl-blocks / trait-defaults NOT dead; orphan fn IS dead."""
+
+    def test_module_not_flagged(self, findings):
+        blob = _norm(findings)
+        assert not any(
+            (f.get("type") == "module") or "helpers" in _norm(f.get("name", ""))
+            for f in findings
+        ), f"#228: module declaration false-flagged as dead: {findings}"
+
+    def test_impl_block_not_flagged(self, findings):
+        assert not any(
+            (f.get("type") == "impl")
+            or _norm(f.get("name", "")).startswith("impl_")
+            or ":impl:" in _norm(f.get("name", ""))
+            for f in findings
+        ), f"#228: impl block false-flagged as dead: {findings}"
+
+    def test_trait_default_method_not_flagged(self, findings):
+        names = _names(findings)
+        offenders = {n for n in names if n.split("::")[-1] == "default"}
+        assert not offenders, (
+            f"#228: trait-default method `default` false-flagged as dead: {offenders}"
+        )
+
+    def test_genuinely_dead_fn_is_flagged(self, findings):
+        names = _names(findings)
+        assert any(n.split("::")[-1] == "orphan_helper" for n in names), (
+            "#228 control: genuinely-dead `orphan_helper` must still be flagged, "
+            f"got dead names: {names}"
+        )