diff --git a/src/mir/optimizer.rs b/src/mir/optimizer.rs
index 90f52c72..49f686ae 100644
--- a/src/mir/optimizer.rs
+++ b/src/mir/optimizer.rs
@@ -62,8 +62,11 @@ impl MirOptimizer {
         // Normalize Python helper form: py.getattr(obj, name) → obj.getattr(name)
         stats.merge(self.normalize_python_helper_calls(module));
 
-        // Pass 1: Dead code elimination
-        stats.merge(self.eliminate_dead_code(module));
+        // Pass 1: Dead code elimination (modularized pass)
+        {
+            let eliminated = crate::mir::passes::dce::eliminate_dead_code(module);
+            stats.dead_code_eliminated += eliminated;
+        }
         
         // Pass 2: Pure instruction CSE (Common Subexpression Elimination)
         stats.merge(self.common_subexpression_elimination(module));
diff --git a/src/mir/passes/dce.rs b/src/mir/passes/dce.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..731d3708
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mir/passes/dce.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+//! Dead Code Elimination (pure instruction DCE)
+//!
+//! Extracted from the monolithic optimizer to enable modular pass composition.
+
+use crate::mir::{MirModule, MirFunction, MirInstruction, ValueId};
+use std::collections::HashSet;
+
+/// Eliminate dead code (unused results of pure instructions) across the module.
+/// Returns the number of eliminated instructions.
+pub fn eliminate_dead_code(module: &mut MirModule) -> usize {
+    let mut eliminated_total = 0usize;
+    for (_func_name, func) in &mut module.functions {
+        eliminated_total += eliminate_dead_code_in_function(func);
+    }
+    eliminated_total
+}
+
+fn eliminate_dead_code_in_function(function: &mut MirFunction) -> usize {
+    // Collect values that must be kept (used results + effects)
+    let mut used_values: HashSet<ValueId> = HashSet::new();
+
+    // Mark values used by side-effecting instructions and terminators
+    for (_bid, block) in &function.blocks {
+        for instruction in &block.instructions {
+            if !instruction.effects().is_pure() {
+                if let Some(dst) = instruction.dst_value() { used_values.insert(dst); }
+                for u in instruction.used_values() { used_values.insert(u); }
+            }
+        }
+        if let Some(term) = &block.terminator {
+            for u in term.used_values() { used_values.insert(u); }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Backward propagation: if a value is used, mark its operands as used
+    let mut changed = true;
+    while changed {
+        changed = false;
+        for (_bid, block) in &function.blocks {
+            for instruction in &block.instructions {
+                if let Some(dst) = instruction.dst_value() {
+                    if used_values.contains(&dst) {
+                        for u in instruction.used_values() {
+                            if used_values.insert(u) { changed = true; }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Remove unused pure instructions
+    let mut eliminated = 0usize;
+    for (bbid, block) in &mut function.blocks {
+        block.instructions.retain(|inst| {
+            if inst.effects().is_pure() {
+                if let Some(dst) = inst.dst_value() {
+                    if !used_values.contains(&dst) {
+                        // Keep indices stable is not required here; remove entirely
+                        // Logging is suppressed to keep pass quiet by default
+                        eliminated += 1;
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            true
+        });
+    }
+    if eliminated > 0 { function.update_cfg(); }
+    eliminated
+}
+
diff --git a/src/mir/passes/mod.rs b/src/mir/passes/mod.rs
index 71e7a857..ac9a711e 100644
--- a/src/mir/passes/mod.rs
+++ b/src/mir/passes/mod.rs
@@ -4,3 +4,11 @@
 pub mod type_hints;
 pub mod escape;
 pub mod method_id_inject;
+pub mod dce;
+
+/// Minimal pass trait for future expansion. Currently unused by the main
+/// optimizer pipeline but provided to guide modularization.
+pub trait MirPass {
+    fn name(&self) -> &'static str;
+    fn run(&mut self, module: &mut crate::mir::MirModule);
+}