diff --git a/eslint.config.mjs b/eslint.config.mjs
index c856629..f0c5acb 100644
--- a/eslint.config.mjs
+++ b/eslint.config.mjs
@@ -72,16 +72,13 @@ export default [
     files: ['routes/**/*.cts'],
     ignores: ['routes/transactions.cts', 'routes/import.cts'],
     rules: {
-      'no-restricted-imports': [
+      // no-restricted-imports can't see require() — match the call itself.
+      'no-restricted-syntax': [
         'error',
         {
-          paths: [
-            {
-              name: '../middleware/errorFormatter.cts',
-              message:
-                'Routes emit errors by throwing utils/apiError.cts factories (see CODE_STANDARDS.md); the terminal handler formats them.',
-            },
-          ],
+          selector: "CallExpression[callee.name='require'] Literal[value=/errorFormatter/]",
+          message:
+            'Routes emit errors by throwing utils/apiError.cts factories (see CODE_STANDARDS.md); the terminal handler formats them.',
         },
       ],
     },