diff --git a/config/set/rector-preset.php b/config/set/rector-preset.php
index b3d40f3ce36..ba74445ba5e 100644
--- a/config/set/rector-preset.php
+++ b/config/set/rector-preset.php
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 declare(strict_types=1);
 
-use Rector\Utils\Rector\RemoveRefactorDuplicatedNodeInstanceCheckRector;
-use Rector\PHPUnit\CodeQuality\Rector\Class_\AddSeeTestAnnotationRector;
 use Rector\CodingStyle\Rector\PostInc\PostIncDecToPreIncDecRector;
 use Rector\Config\RectorConfig;
+use Rector\PHPUnit\CodeQuality\Rector\Class_\AddSeeTestAnnotationRector;
 use Rector\Privatization\Rector\Class_\FinalizeTestCaseClassRector;
 use Rector\TypeDeclaration\Rector\StmtsAwareInterface\DeclareStrictTypesRector;
+use Rector\Utils\Rector\RemoveRefactorDuplicatedNodeInstanceCheckRector;
 
 return static function (RectorConfig $rectorConfig): void {
     $rectorConfig->rules([
diff --git a/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveUnusedPrivateMethodRector/Fixture/skip_used_method_in_never_type_scope.php.inc b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveUnusedPrivateMethodRector/Fixture/skip_used_method_in_never_type_scope.php.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2d9a45f5df0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rules-tests/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveUnusedPrivateMethodRector/Fixture/skip_used_method_in_never_type_scope.php.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Rector\Tests\DeadCode\Rector\ClassMethod\RemoveUnusedPrivateMethodRector\Fixture;
+
+class SkipUsedMethodInNeverTypeScope
+{
+    protected bool $tokenizationEnabled = true;
+
+    protected $queuedRecipients = [];
+
+    public function send($isQueueFlush = false)
+    {
+        if ($this->tokenizationEnabled && !empty($this->queuedRecipients) && !$isQueueFlush) {
+            return $this->queue();
+        }
+
+        if (!$isQueueFlush) {
+            $this->setFromForSingleMessage();
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    public function queue()
+    {
+        if ($this->tokenizationEnabled) {
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        return $this->send();
+    }
+
+    private function setFromForSingleMessage(): void
+    {
+        echo 'used';
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rules/DeadCode/NodeAnalyzer/CallCollectionAnalyzer.php b/rules/DeadCode/NodeAnalyzer/CallCollectionAnalyzer.php
index 967e04b74c8..44b06b5d5c1 100644
--- a/rules/DeadCode/NodeAnalyzer/CallCollectionAnalyzer.php
+++ b/rules/DeadCode/NodeAnalyzer/CallCollectionAnalyzer.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 use PhpParser\Node\Identifier;
 use PhpParser\Node\Name;
 use PHPStan\Type\MixedType;
+use PHPStan\Type\NeverType;
 use Rector\Enum\ObjectReference;
 use Rector\NodeNameResolver\NodeNameResolver;
 use Rector\NodeTypeResolver\NodeTypeResolver;
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@ public function isExists(array $calls, string $classMethodName, string $classNam
 
             $callerTypeClassName = ClassNameFromObjectTypeResolver::resolve($callerType);
             if ($callerTypeClassName === null) {
+                // the caller scope is unreachable, e.g. behind mutual recursion, so the type
+                // resolves to never; the call still exists in code, keep the method to be safe
+                if ($callerType instanceof NeverType && $this->shouldSkip($call, $classMethodName)) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+
                 // handle fluent by $this->bar()->baz()->qux()
                 // that methods don't have return type
                 if ($callerType instanceof MixedType && ! $callerType->isExplicitMixed()) {