diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/parser/parse-fn.ts b/packages/compiler/src/parser/parse-fn.ts
index fbe7ff5..afbda91 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/parser/parse-fn.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/parser/parse-fn.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,17 @@ export interface FnDecl {
   /** Source offset of the unsafe reason string token (UTF-16 code units, inclusive). Used to anchor UNS002 at the right location. */
   unsafeReasonStart?: number;
   returnType: string;
+  /**
+   * Token-array index of the first body token (`{` for block bodies, `=` for
+   * expression bodies). Effect-check passes use this to scan only from the body
+   * start rather than from `tokenStart`, avoiding false matches on idents in the
+   * parameter list or return-type annotation.
+   *
+   * Optional so that code constructing `FnDecl` values outside the parser (e.g.
+   * tests, mocks) is not forced to populate this field. Consumers should fall
+   * back to `tokenStart` when absent: `fn.bodyTokenStart ?? fn.tokenStart`.
+   */
+  bodyTokenStart?: number;
   /** Body is a brace block OR a single-expression form (= pure / io / arbitrary). */
   body: FnBody;
 }
@@ -489,6 +500,7 @@ export function parseFn(
     unsafeReason,
     unsafeReasonStart,
     returnType,
+    bodyTokenStart: typeEnd,
     body,
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/passes/dep-check.ts b/packages/compiler/src/passes/dep-check.ts
index 34ceb7b..38487db 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/passes/dep-check.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/passes/dep-check.ts
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ function collectCallees(
   const open: FnDecl[] = [];
   let nextInner = 0;
 
-  for (let i = fn.tokenStart; i < fn.tokenEnd; i++) {
+  for (let i = fn.bodyTokenStart ?? fn.tokenStart; i < fn.tokenEnd; i++) {
     while (open.length > 0 && open[open.length - 1]!.tokenEnd <= i) open.pop();
     while (nextInner < inner.length && inner[nextInner]!.tokenStart <= i) {
       open.push(inner[nextInner]!);
diff --git a/packages/compiler/tests/dep-check.test.ts b/packages/compiler/tests/dep-check.test.ts
index e706a85..688f2cf 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/tests/dep-check.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/tests/dep-check.test.ts
@@ -191,3 +191,31 @@ describe("recursive fns", () => {
     expect(() => compile(src)).not.toThrow();
   });
 });
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Parameter-default false-positive regression (issue #70)
+// collectCallees now starts from bodyTokenStart, skipping both the parameter
+// list (including defaults) and the return-type annotation. The return-type
+// exclusion is implicitly covered by the same mechanism — botscript return
+// types don't support call-syntax idents, so no separate test is needed.
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+describe("parameter-default exclusion (issue #70)", () => {
+  it("does not fire DEP001 when callee appears only in a parameter default, not the body", () => {
+    // `helper` is called in the parameter default of `caller` (evaluated at the
+    // call site), not in caller's body. collectCallees must not pick it up.
+    const src =
+      "?bs 0.9\n" +
+      "fn helper() reads { cache } -> string = \"x\"\n" +
+      "fn caller(x: string = helper()) -> string = x\n";
+    expect(() => compile(src)).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it("still fires DEP001 when callee is called inside the body", () => {
+    const src =
+      "?bs 0.9\n" +
+      "fn helper() reads { cache } -> string = \"x\"\n" +
+      "fn caller() -> string { helper() }\n";
+    expect(() => compile(src)).toThrow("DEP001");
+  });
+});