diff --git a/crates/oxc_minifier/src/peephole/substitute_alternate_syntax.rs b/crates/oxc_minifier/src/peephole/substitute_alternate_syntax.rs
index 996252bec7c2e..dac7884de46d6 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_minifier/src/peephole/substitute_alternate_syntax.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_minifier/src/peephole/substitute_alternate_syntax.rs
@@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@ impl<'a> LatePeepholeOptimizations {
             if let Some(param) = &catch.param {
                 if let BindingPatternKind::BindingIdentifier(ident) = &param.pattern.kind {
                     if catch.body.body.is_empty()
-                        || ctx.symbols().get_resolved_references(ident.symbol_id()).count() == 0
+                        || !ctx.symbols().symbol_is_used(ident.symbol_id())
                     {
                         catch.param = None;
                     }
diff --git a/crates/oxc_semantic/src/symbol.rs b/crates/oxc_semantic/src/symbol.rs
index 5e20a14191992..1b9ff752b6cd5 100644
--- a/crates/oxc_semantic/src/symbol.rs
+++ b/crates/oxc_semantic/src/symbol.rs
@@ -297,6 +297,11 @@ impl SymbolTable {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Get whether a symbol is used (i.e. read or written after declaration).
+    pub fn symbol_is_used(&self, symbol_id: SymbolId) -> bool {
+        self.get_resolved_references(symbol_id).count() > 0
+    }
+
     /// Add a reference to a symbol.
     pub fn add_resolved_reference(&mut self, symbol_id: SymbolId, reference_id: ReferenceId) {
         self.inner.with_dependent_mut(|_allocator, inner| {