diff --git a/packages/keyring-controller/src/KeyringController.ts b/packages/keyring-controller/src/KeyringController.ts
index e6c91bee02..5bef998de1 100644
--- a/packages/keyring-controller/src/KeyringController.ts
+++ b/packages/keyring-controller/src/KeyringController.ts
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@ export class KeyringController extends BaseController<
       }
 
       const [addedAccountAddress] = await primaryKeyring.addAccounts(1);
-      await this.verifySeedPhrase();
+      await this.#verifySeedPhrase();
 
       return addedAccountAddress;
     });
@@ -1356,49 +1356,7 @@ export class KeyringController extends BaseController<
    * @returns Promise resolving to the seed phrase as Uint8Array.
    */
   async verifySeedPhrase(): Promise<Uint8Array> {
-    return this.#withControllerLock(async () => {
-      const primaryKeyring = this.getKeyringsByType(KeyringTypes.hd)[0] as
-        | EthKeyring<Json>
-        | undefined;
-      if (!primaryKeyring) {
-        throw new Error('No HD keyring found.');
-      }
-
-      assertHasUint8ArrayMnemonic(primaryKeyring);
-
-      const seedWords = primaryKeyring.mnemonic;
-      const accounts = await primaryKeyring.getAccounts();
-      /* istanbul ignore if */
-      if (accounts.length === 0) {
-        throw new Error('Cannot verify an empty keyring.');
-      }
-
-      // The HD Keyring Builder is a default keyring builder
-      // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion
-      const hdKeyringBuilder = this.#getKeyringBuilderForType(KeyringTypes.hd)!;
-
-      const hdKeyring = hdKeyringBuilder();
-      // @ts-expect-error @metamask/eth-hd-keyring correctly handles
-      // Uint8Array seed phrases in the `deserialize` method.
-      await hdKeyring.deserialize({
-        mnemonic: seedWords,
-        numberOfAccounts: accounts.length,
-      });
-      const testAccounts = await hdKeyring.getAccounts();
-      /* istanbul ignore if */
-      if (testAccounts.length !== accounts.length) {
-        throw new Error('Seed phrase imported incorrect number of accounts.');
-      }
-
-      testAccounts.forEach((account: string, i: number) => {
-        /* istanbul ignore if */
-        if (account.toLowerCase() !== accounts[i].toLowerCase()) {
-          throw new Error('Seed phrase imported different accounts.');
-        }
-      });
-
-      return seedWords;
-    });
+    return this.#withControllerLock(async () => this.#verifySeedPhrase());
   }
 
   /**
@@ -1885,6 +1843,57 @@ export class KeyringController extends BaseController<
     this.#setUnlocked();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Internal non-exclusive method to verify the seed phrase.
+   *
+   * @returns A promise resolving to the seed phrase as Uint8Array.
+   */
+  async #verifySeedPhrase(): Promise<Uint8Array> {
+    this.#assertControllerMutexIsLocked();
+
+    const primaryKeyring = this.getKeyringsByType(KeyringTypes.hd)[0] as
+      | EthKeyring<Json>
+      | undefined;
+    if (!primaryKeyring) {
+      throw new Error('No HD keyring found.');
+    }
+
+    assertHasUint8ArrayMnemonic(primaryKeyring);
+
+    const seedWords = primaryKeyring.mnemonic;
+    const accounts = await primaryKeyring.getAccounts();
+    /* istanbul ignore if */
+    if (accounts.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error('Cannot verify an empty keyring.');
+    }
+
+    // The HD Keyring Builder is a default keyring builder
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-non-null-assertion
+    const hdKeyringBuilder = this.#getKeyringBuilderForType(KeyringTypes.hd)!;
+
+    const hdKeyring = hdKeyringBuilder();
+    // @ts-expect-error @metamask/eth-hd-keyring correctly handles
+    // Uint8Array seed phrases in the `deserialize` method.
+    await hdKeyring.deserialize({
+      mnemonic: seedWords,
+      numberOfAccounts: accounts.length,
+    });
+    const testAccounts = await hdKeyring.getAccounts();
+    /* istanbul ignore if */
+    if (testAccounts.length !== accounts.length) {
+      throw new Error('Seed phrase imported incorrect number of accounts.');
+    }
+
+    testAccounts.forEach((account: string, i: number) => {
+      /* istanbul ignore if */
+      if (account.toLowerCase() !== accounts[i].toLowerCase()) {
+        throw new Error('Seed phrase imported different accounts.');
+      }
+    });
+
+    return seedWords;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Get the updated array of each keyring's type and
    * accounts list.