diff --git a/app/(auth)/(tabs)/_layout.tsx b/app/(auth)/(tabs)/_layout.tsx
index 45f246a5..2f6bb8cf 100644
--- a/app/(auth)/(tabs)/_layout.tsx
+++ b/app/(auth)/(tabs)/_layout.tsx
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ function TVTabLayout() {
   const router = useRouter();
 
   const currentTab = segments.find(isTabRoute);
-  const lastSegment = segments[segments.length - 1] ?? "";
+  // Widened to string: typed routes omit "index" segments, but they can still
+  // appear at runtime, so keep the guard without tripping TS2367.
+  const lastSegment: string = segments[segments.length - 1] ?? "";
   const atTabRoot = isTabRoute(lastSegment) || lastSegment === "index";
 
   const tabs: TVNavBarTab[] = useMemo(