Mitochondrial TMEM11 engages BNIP3/NIX to restrain basal mitophagy. Initial studies of TMEM11 localized it to the IMM, and yeast two-hybrid screens identified the mitophagy-associated proteins BNIP3/BNIP3L as putative interactors. The molecular logistics of this association were unclear because of the distinct outer membrane localization of BNIP3/BNIP3L. Gok and colleagues (4) explored the functional roles of TMEM11 and performed a series of converging methods to pinpoint its localization at the OMM. Subsequent proteomics and biochemical profiling revealed the transmembrane domain of TMEM11 interacts with BNIP3/BNIP3L at its respective transmembrane region—which is known to be crucial for mitophagy progression. Strikingly, the authors report that TMEM11 depletion enhances mitophagy levels and leads to abundant BNIP3/BNIP3L microdomains on the OMM. These results identify a new mechanism that could explain differential levels of steady-state (basal) mitophagy. Created with BioRender.com.