diff --git a/benchmarks_test.go b/benchmarks_test.go
index 09d38b1..ddcb680 100644
--- a/benchmarks_test.go
+++ b/benchmarks_test.go
@@ -572,10 +572,7 @@ func bigExp(result, base, exponent *big.Int) *big.Int {
 	return result
 }
 
-func benchmark_Exp_Big(bench *testing.B) {
-	x := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-	y := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-
+func benchmark_Exp_Big(bench *testing.B, x, y string) {
 	orig := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
 	base := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
 	exp := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(y))
@@ -587,62 +584,55 @@ func benchmark_Exp_Big(bench *testing.B) {
 		base.Set(orig)
 	}
 }
-func benchmark_Exp_Bit(bench *testing.B) {
-	x := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-	y := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-
-	base := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
-	exp := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(y))
 
-	f_base, _ := FromBig(base)
-	f_orig, _ := FromBig(base)
-	f_exp, _ := FromBig(exp)
-	f_res := Int{}
+func benchmark_Exp_U256(bench *testing.B, x, y string) {
+	var (
+		base = big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
+		exp  = big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(y))
 
+		f_base, _ = FromBig(base)
+		f_orig, _ = FromBig(base)
+		f_exp, _  = FromBig(exp)
+		f_res     Int
+	)
 	bench.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < bench.N; i++ {
 		f_res.Exp(f_base, f_exp)
 		f_base.Set(f_orig)
 	}
 }
-func benchmark_ExpSmall_Big(bench *testing.B) {
-	x := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-	y := "8abcdef"
 
-	orig := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
-	base := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
-	exp := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(y))
-
-	result := new(big.Int)
-	bench.ResetTimer()
-	for i := 0; i < bench.N; i++ {
-		bigExp(result, base, exp)
-		base.Set(orig)
+func BenchmarkExp(bench *testing.B) {
+	{ // Large values
+		base := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
+		exp := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
+		bench.Run("large/big", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_Big(b, base, exp)
+		})
+		bench.Run("large/uint256", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_U256(b, base, exp)
+		})
 	}
-}
-func benchmark_ExpSmall_Bit(bench *testing.B) {
-	x := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
-	y := "8abcdef"
-
-	base := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(x))
-	exp := big.NewInt(0).SetBytes(hex2Bytes(y))
-
-	f_base, _ := FromBig(base)
-	f_orig, _ := FromBig(base)
-	f_exp, _ := FromBig(exp)
-	f_res := Int{}
-
-	bench.ResetTimer()
-	for i := 0; i < bench.N; i++ {
-		f_res.Exp(f_base, f_exp)
-		f_base.Set(f_orig)
+	{ // Smaller exponent
+		base := "ABCDEF090807060504030201ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff"
+		exp := "8abcdef"
+		bench.Run("small/big", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_Big(b, base, exp)
+		})
+		bench.Run("small/uint256", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_U256(b, base, exp)
+		})
+	}
+	{ // Even base (and very small exponent)
+		base := "ABCDEF090807060504030201fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffe"
+		exp := "ff"
+		bench.Run("even/big", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_Big(b, base, exp)
+		})
+		bench.Run("even/uint256", func(b *testing.B) {
+			benchmark_Exp_U256(b, base, exp)
+		})
 	}
-}
-func BenchmarkExp(bench *testing.B) {
-	bench.Run("large/big", benchmark_Exp_Big)
-	bench.Run("large/uint256", benchmark_Exp_Bit)
-	bench.Run("small/big", benchmark_ExpSmall_Big)
-	bench.Run("small/uint256", benchmark_ExpSmall_Bit)
 }
 
 func BenchmarkDiv(b *testing.B) {
diff --git a/uint256.go b/uint256.go
index 0db79ce..043b8ed 100644
--- a/uint256.go
+++ b/uint256.go
@@ -1199,12 +1199,18 @@ func (z *Int) Byte(n *Int) *Int {
 
 // Exp sets z = base**exponent mod 2**256, and returns z.
 func (z *Int) Exp(base, exponent *Int) *Int {
-	res := Int{1, 0, 0, 0}
-	multiplier := *base
-	expBitLen := exponent.BitLen()
+	var (
+		res        = Int{1, 0, 0, 0}
+		multiplier = *base
+		expBitLen  = exponent.BitLen()
+		curBit     = 0
+		word       = exponent[0]
+		even       = base[0]&1 == 0
+	)
+	if even && expBitLen > 8 {
+		return z.Clear()
+	}
 
-	curBit := 0
-	word := exponent[0]
 	for ; curBit < expBitLen && curBit < 64; curBit++ {
 		if word&1 == 1 {
 			res.Mul(&res, &multiplier)
@@ -1212,6 +1218,9 @@ func (z *Int) Exp(base, exponent *Int) *Int {
 		multiplier.squared()
 		word >>= 1
 	}
+	if even { // If the base was even, we are finished now
+		return z.Set(&res)
+	}
 
 	word = exponent[1]
 	for ; curBit < expBitLen && curBit < 128; curBit++ {