diff --git a/perf/src/sigverify.rs b/perf/src/sigverify.rs
index 3c434b898a65f4..d6755d846634bb 100644
--- a/perf/src/sigverify.rs
+++ b/perf/src/sigverify.rs
@@ -1315,9 +1315,10 @@ mod tests {
             for _ in 0..1_000_000 {
                 thread_rng().fill(&mut input);
                 let ans = check_packed_ge_small_order(&input);
-                let ref_ge = CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(&input)
-                    .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32");
-                if let Some(ref_element) = ref_ge.decompress() {
+                let compressed_edwards_y = CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(&input);
+                assert!(compressed_edwards_y.is_ok());
+                let compressed_edwards_y = compressed_edwards_y.unwrap();
+                if let Some(ref_element) = compressed_edwards_y.decompress() {
                     if ref_element.is_small_order() {
                         assert!(!ans);
                     } else {
diff --git a/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs b/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
index e6763ddbde2640..52b8f9bff23f14 100644
--- a/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
+++ b/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
@@ -170,9 +170,8 @@ pub fn bytes_are_curve_point<T: AsRef<[u8]>>(_bytes: T) -> bool {
     #[cfg(not(target_os = "solana"))]
     {
         curve25519_dalek::edwards::CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(_bytes.as_ref())
-            .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-            .decompress()
-            .is_some()
+            .map(|compressed_edwards_y| compressed_edwards_y.decompress().is_some())
+            .unwrap_or(false)
     }
     #[cfg(target_os = "solana")]
     unimplemented!();
@@ -946,13 +945,7 @@ mod tests {
             if let Ok(program_address) =
                 Pubkey::create_program_address(&[&bytes1, &bytes2], &program_id)
             {
-                let is_on_curve = curve25519_dalek::edwards::CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(
-                    &program_address.to_bytes(),
-                )
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()
-                .is_some();
-                assert!(!is_on_curve);
+                assert!(!program_address.is_on_curve());
                 assert!(!addresses.contains(&program_address));
                 addresses.push(program_address);
             }
diff --git a/zk-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs b/zk-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
index 6a84e3d6fae030..96569d41d7f90b 100644
--- a/zk-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
+++ b/zk-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
@@ -373,12 +373,11 @@ impl TryFrom<&[u8]> for ElGamalPubkey {
             return Err(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization);
         }
 
-        Ok(ElGamalPubkey(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()
-                .ok_or(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .map_err(|_| ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)?
+            .decompress()
+            .ok_or(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)
+            .map(ElGamalPubkey)
     }
 }
 
@@ -720,11 +719,10 @@ impl DecryptHandle {
             return None;
         }
 
-        Some(DecryptHandle(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .ok()?
+            .decompress()
+            .map(DecryptHandle)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zk-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs b/zk-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
index 92fd5b0bad7a33..318cb0915d17e3 100644
--- a/zk-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
+++ b/zk-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
@@ -184,11 +184,10 @@ impl PedersenCommitment {
             return None;
         }
 
-        Some(PedersenCommitment(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .ok()?
+            .decompress()
+            .map(PedersenCommitment)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zk-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs b/zk-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
index 3947fa57a43d3e..9ee91ddb7dd0b0 100644
--- a/zk-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
+++ b/zk-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ fn ristretto_point_from_optional_slice(
 ) -> Result<CompressedRistretto, SigmaProofVerificationError> {
     optional_slice
         .and_then(|slice| (slice.len() == RISTRETTO_POINT_LEN).then_some(slice))
-        .map(|slice| {
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(slice).expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-        })
+        .map(CompressedRistretto::from_slice)
+        .transpose()
+        .map_err(|_| SigmaProofVerificationError::Deserialization)?
         .ok_or(SigmaProofVerificationError::Deserialization)
 }
 
diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/edwards.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/edwards.rs
index dff37d5529d7af..90ed4249e32451 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/edwards.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/edwards.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ mod target_arch {
 
         fn try_from(pod: &PodEdwardsPoint) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
             CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(&pod.0)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
+                .map_err(|_| Curve25519Error::PodConversion)?
                 .decompress()
                 .ok_or(Curve25519Error::PodConversion)
         }
@@ -75,9 +75,8 @@ mod target_arch {
 
         fn validate_point(&self) -> bool {
             CompressedEdwardsY::from_slice(&self.0)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()
-                .is_some()
+                .map(|compressed_edwards_y| compressed_edwards_y.decompress().is_some())
+                .unwrap_or(false)
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/ristretto.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/ristretto.rs
index 837c118438cab3..0ce247ae56168b 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/ristretto.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/curve25519/ristretto.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ mod target_arch {
 
         fn try_from(pod: &PodRistrettoPoint) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
             CompressedRistretto::from_slice(&pod.0)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
+                .map_err(|_| Curve25519Error::PodConversion)?
                 .decompress()
                 .ok_or(Curve25519Error::PodConversion)
         }
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ mod target_arch {
 
         fn validate_point(&self) -> bool {
             CompressedRistretto::from_slice(&self.0)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()
+                .ok()
+                .and_then(|compressed_ristretto| compressed_ristretto.decompress())
                 .is_some()
         }
     }
diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
index ac7f765bedafa6..3763505ceab915 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/elgamal.rs
@@ -378,11 +378,10 @@ impl ElGamalPubkey {
             return None;
         }
 
-        Some(ElGamalPubkey(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .ok()?
+            .decompress()
+            .map(ElGamalPubkey)
     }
 
     /// Encrypts an amount under the public key.
@@ -442,12 +441,11 @@ impl TryFrom<&[u8]> for ElGamalPubkey {
             return Err(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization);
         }
 
-        Ok(ElGamalPubkey(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()
-                .ok_or(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .map_err(|_| ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)?
+            .decompress()
+            .ok_or(ElGamalError::PubkeyDeserialization)
+            .map(ElGamalPubkey)
     }
 }
 
@@ -804,11 +802,10 @@ impl DecryptHandle {
             return None;
         }
 
-        Some(DecryptHandle(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .ok()?
+            .decompress()
+            .map(DecryptHandle)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
index 41f3898a5833ca..16d9e05353e36c 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/encryption/pedersen.rs
@@ -195,11 +195,10 @@ impl PedersenCommitment {
             return None;
         }
 
-        Some(PedersenCommitment(
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
-                .expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-                .decompress()?,
-        ))
+        CompressedRistretto::from_slice(bytes)
+            .ok()?
+            .decompress()
+            .map(PedersenCommitment)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zk-token-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs b/zk-token-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
index ee23352557f4ed..db2b6535843096 100644
--- a/zk-token-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
+++ b/zk-token-sdk/src/sigma_proofs/mod.rs
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ fn ristretto_point_from_optional_slice(
 ) -> Result<CompressedRistretto, SigmaProofVerificationError> {
     optional_slice
         .and_then(|slice| (slice.len() == RISTRETTO_POINT_LEN).then_some(slice))
-        .map(|slice| {
-            CompressedRistretto::from_slice(slice).expect("Input slice should have a length of 32")
-        })
+        .map(CompressedRistretto::from_slice)
+        .transpose()
+        .map_err(|_| SigmaProofVerificationError::Deserialization)?
         .ok_or(SigmaProofVerificationError::Deserialization)
 }