diff --git a/packages/utils/src/float.circom b/packages/utils/src/float.circom
index e56c2a0..4e190c8 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/float.circom
+++ b/packages/utils/src/float.circom
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ include "mux1.circom";
 template MSB(n) {
     signal input in;
     signal output out;
+   
+    // Ensure the input is less than 2^254 within the finite field for BN254.
+    assert(in < (2 ** 254));
 
     // Convert the number to its bit representation.
     var n2b[n];
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/safe-comparators.circom b/packages/utils/src/safe-comparators.circom
index 5b63669..91ec62b 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/safe-comparators.circom
+++ b/packages/utils/src/safe-comparators.circom
@@ -11,17 +11,9 @@ template SafeLessThan(n) {
     signal input in[2];
     signal output out;
 
-    // Convert both inputs to their bit representations to ensure
-    // they fit within 'n' bits.
-    var n2b1[n];
-    n2b1 = Num2Bits(n)(in[0]);
-
-    var n2b2[n];
-    n2b2 = Num2Bits(n)(in[1]);
-
     // Additional conversion to handle arithmetic operation and capture the comparison result.
-    var n2b[n+1];
-    n2b = Num2Bits(n + 1)(in[0] + (1<<n) - in[1]);
+    var n2b[254];
+    n2b = Num2Bits_strict()(in[0] + (1<<n) - in[1]);
 
     // Determine if in[0] is less than in[1] based on the most significant bit.
     out <== 1 - n2b[n];