diff --git a/src/backend/u32/scalar.rs b/src/backend/u32/scalar.rs
index 238ee09..af88b79 100644
--- a/src/backend/u32/scalar.rs
+++ b/src/backend/u32/scalar.rs
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ impl Scalar32 {
 
     /// Compute `a^2` (mod l).
     #[inline(never)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // XXX we don't expose square() via the Scalar API
     pub fn square(&self) -> Scalar32 {
         let aa = Scalar32::montgomery_reduce(&Scalar32::square_internal(self));
         Scalar32::montgomery_reduce(&Scalar32::mul_internal(&aa, &constants::RR))
diff --git a/src/backend/u64/scalar.rs b/src/backend/u64/scalar.rs
index 91d4acc..c5d46d3 100644
--- a/src/backend/u64/scalar.rs
+++ b/src/backend/u64/scalar.rs
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ impl Scalar64 {
 
     /// Compute `a^2` (mod l)
     #[inline(never)]
+    #[allow(dead_code)] // XXX we don't expose square() via the Scalar API
     pub fn square(&self) -> Scalar64 {
         let aa = Scalar64::montgomery_reduce(&Scalar64::square_internal(self));
         Scalar64::montgomery_reduce(&Scalar64::mul_internal(&aa, &constants::RR))