diff --git a/src/arithmetic/bigint.rs b/src/arithmetic/bigint.rs
index 331254c46..f01a380b4 100644
--- a/src/arithmetic/bigint.rs
+++ b/src/arithmetic/bigint.rs
@@ -56,18 +56,6 @@ mod boxed_limbs;
 mod modulus;
 mod private_exponent;
 
-/// A modulus *s* that is smaller than another modulus *l* so every element of
-/// ℤ/sℤ is also an element of ℤ/lℤ.
-///
-/// # Safety
-///
-/// Some logic may assume that the invariant holds when accessing limbs within
-/// a value, e.g. by assuming the larger modulus has at least as many limbs.
-/// TODO: Any such logic should be encapsulated here, or this trait should be
-/// made non-`unsafe`. (In retrospect, this shouldn't have been made an `unsafe`
-/// trait preemptively.)
-pub unsafe trait SmallerModulus<L> {}
-
 pub trait PublicModulus {}
 
 /// Elements of ℤ/mℤ for some modulus *m*.
@@ -224,13 +212,17 @@ where
     }
 }
 
-pub fn elem_widen<Larger, Smaller: SmallerModulus<Larger>>(
+pub fn elem_widen<Larger, Smaller>(
     a: Elem<Smaller, Unencoded>,
     m: &Modulus<Larger>,
-) -> Elem<Larger, Unencoded> {
+    smaller_modulus_bits: BitLength,
+) -> Result<Elem<Larger, Unencoded>, error::Unspecified> {
+    if smaller_modulus_bits >= m.len_bits() {
+        return Err(error::Unspecified);
+    }
     let mut r = m.zero();
     r.limbs[..a.limbs.len()].copy_from_slice(&a.limbs);
-    r
+    Ok(r)
 }
 
 // TODO: Document why this works for all Montgomery factors.
diff --git a/src/rsa/keypair.rs b/src/rsa/keypair.rs
index bf9920e51..71af675ba 100644
--- a/src/rsa/keypair.rs
+++ b/src/rsa/keypair.rs
@@ -497,11 +497,9 @@ fn elem_exp_consttime<M>(
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 enum P {}
-unsafe impl bigint::SmallerModulus<N> for P {}
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 enum Q {}
-unsafe impl bigint::SmallerModulus<N> for Q {}
 
 impl KeyPair {
     /// Computes the signature of `msg` and writes it into `signature`.
@@ -591,11 +589,12 @@ impl KeyPair {
         // necessary because `h < p` and `p * q == n` implies `h * q < n`.
         // Modular arithmetic is used simply to avoid implementing
         // non-modular arithmetic.
-        let h = bigint::elem_widen(h, n);
+        let p_bits = self.p.modulus.len_bits();
+        let h = bigint::elem_widen(h, n, p_bits)?;
         let q_mod_n = self.q.modulus.to_elem(n)?;
         let q_mod_n = bigint::elem_mul(n_one, q_mod_n, n);
         let q_times_h = bigint::elem_mul(&q_mod_n, h, n);
-        let m_2 = bigint::elem_widen(m_2, n);
+        let m_2 = bigint::elem_widen(m_2, n, q_bits)?;
         let m = bigint::elem_add(m_2, q_times_h, n);
 
         // Step 2.b.v isn't needed since there are only two primes.