diff --git a/base58.go b/base58.go
index e1b3467..193a87d 100644
--- a/base58.go
+++ b/base58.go
@@ -94,34 +94,21 @@ func FastBase58DecodingAlphabet(str string, alphabet *Alphabet) ([]byte, error)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("zero length string")
 	}
 
-	var (
-		t, c   uint64
-		zmask  uint32
-		zcount int
-
-		b58u  = []rune(str)
-		b58sz = len(b58u)
-
-		outisz    = (b58sz + 3) >> 2
-		binu      = make([]byte, (b58sz+3)*3)
-		bytesleft = b58sz & 3
-
-		zero = rune(alphabet.encode[0])
-	)
+	zero := alphabet.encode[0]
+	b58sz := len(str)
 
-	if bytesleft > 0 {
-		zmask = 0xffffffff << uint32(bytesleft*8)
-	} else {
-		bytesleft = 4
+	var zcount int
+	for i := 0; i < b58sz && str[i] == zero; i++ {
+		zcount++
 	}
 
-	var outi = make([]uint32, outisz)
+	var t, c uint64
 
-	for i := 0; i < b58sz && b58u[i] == zero; i++ {
-		zcount++
-	}
+	// the 32bit algo stretches the result up to 2 times
+	binu := make([]byte, 2*((b58sz*406/555)+1))
+	outi := make([]uint32, (b58sz+3)/4)
 
-	for _, r := range b58u {
+	for _, r := range str {
 		if r > 127 {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("high-bit set on invalid digit")
 		}
@@ -131,39 +118,37 @@ func FastBase58DecodingAlphabet(str string, alphabet *Alphabet) ([]byte, error)
 
 		c = uint64(alphabet.decode[r])
 
-		for j := outisz - 1; j >= 0; j-- {
+		for j := len(outi) - 1; j >= 0; j-- {
 			t = uint64(outi[j])*58 + c
-			c = (t >> 32) & 0x3f
+			c = t >> 32
 			outi[j] = uint32(t & 0xffffffff)
 		}
-
-		if c > 0 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("output number too big (carry to the next int32)")
-		}
-
-		if outi[0]&zmask != 0 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("output number too big (last int32 filled too far)")
-		}
 	}
 
-	var j, cnt int
-	for j, cnt = 0, 0; j < outisz; j++ {
-		for mask := byte(bytesleft-1) * 8; mask <= 0x18; mask, cnt = mask-8, cnt+1 {
-			binu[cnt] = byte(outi[j] >> mask)
-		}
-		if j == 0 {
-			bytesleft = 4 // because it could be less than 4 the first time through
+	// initial mask depends on b58sz, on further loops it always starts at 24 bits
+	mask := (uint(b58sz%4) * 8)
+	if mask == 0 {
+		mask = 32
+	}
+	mask -= 8
+
+	outLen := 0
+	for j := 0; j < len(outi); j++ {
+		for mask < 32 { // loop relies on uint overflow
+			binu[outLen] = byte(outi[j] >> mask)
+			mask -= 8
+			outLen++
 		}
+		mask = 24
 	}
 
-	for n, v := range binu {
-		if v > 0 {
-			start := n - zcount
-			if start < 0 {
-				start = 0
-			}
-			return binu[start:cnt], nil
+	// find the most significant byte post-decode, if any
+	for msb := zcount; msb < len(binu); msb++ {
+		if binu[msb] > 0 {
+			return binu[msb-zcount : outLen], nil
 		}
 	}
-	return binu[:cnt], nil
+
+	// it's all zeroes
+	return binu[:outLen], nil
 }