diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 285011b..1e13ede 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,14 +39,13 @@ let merkle_proof = tree.proof(0).expect("proof should exist");
 let root = tree.root();
 
 // change signal and external_nullifier here
-let signal = b"xxx";
-let external_nullifier = b"appId";
+let signal_hash = hash_to_field(b"xxx");
+let external_nullifier_hash = hash_to_field(b"appId");
 
-let external_nullifier_hash = hash_external_nullifier(external_nullifier);
 let nullifier_hash = generate_nullifier_hash(&id, external_nullifier_hash);
 
-let proof = generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier, signal).unwrap();
-let success = verify_proof(root.into(), nullifier_hash, signal, external_nullifier, &proof).unwrap();
+let proof = generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier_hash, signal_hash).unwrap();
+let success = verify_proof(root.into(), nullifier_hash, signal_hash, external_nullifier_hash, &proof).unwrap();
 
 assert!(success);
 ```
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 53d38db..be97253 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -32,9 +32,7 @@ mod test {
         hash::Hash,
         identity::Identity,
         poseidon_tree::PoseidonTree,
-        protocol::{
-            generate_nullifier_hash, generate_proof, hash_external_nullifier, verify_proof,
-        },
+        protocol::{generate_nullifier_hash, generate_proof, hash_to_field, verify_proof},
     };
     use hex_literal::hex;
 
@@ -58,13 +56,21 @@ mod test {
         let signal = b"xxx";
         let external_nullifier = b"appId";
 
-        let external_nullifier_hash = hash_external_nullifier(external_nullifier);
+        let signal_hash = hash_to_field(signal);
+        let external_nullifier_hash = hash_to_field(external_nullifier);
         let nullifier_hash = generate_nullifier_hash(&id, external_nullifier_hash);
 
-        let proof = generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier, signal).unwrap();
+        let proof =
+            generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier_hash, signal_hash).unwrap();
 
-        let success =
-            verify_proof(root, nullifier_hash, signal, external_nullifier, &proof).unwrap();
+        let success = verify_proof(
+            root,
+            nullifier_hash,
+            signal_hash,
+            external_nullifier_hash,
+            &proof,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
 
         assert!(success);
     }
@@ -73,7 +79,10 @@ mod test {
 #[cfg(feature = "bench")]
 pub mod bench {
     use crate::{
-        hash::Hash, identity::Identity, poseidon_tree::PoseidonTree, protocol::generate_proof,
+        hash::Hash,
+        identity::Identity,
+        poseidon_tree::PoseidonTree,
+        protocol::{generate_proof, hash_to_field},
     };
     use criterion::Criterion;
     use hex_literal::hex;
@@ -98,12 +107,12 @@ pub mod bench {
         let merkle_proof = tree.proof(0).expect("proof should exist");
 
         // change signal and external_nullifier here
-        let signal = b"xxx";
-        let external_nullifier = b"appId";
+        let signal_hash = hash_to_field(b"xxx");
+        let external_nullifier_hash = hash_to_field(b"appId");
 
         criterion.bench_function("proof", move |b| {
             b.iter(|| {
-                generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier, signal).unwrap();
+                generate_proof(&id, &merkle_proof, external_nullifier_hash, signal_hash).unwrap();
             });
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/protocol.rs b/src/protocol.rs
index bd76e47..ba4d1cb 100644
--- a/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/src/protocol.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use crate::{
 use ark_bn254::{Bn254, Parameters};
 use ark_circom::CircomReduction;
 use ark_ec::bn::Bn;
-use ark_ff::{Fp256, PrimeField};
+use ark_ff::PrimeField;
 use ark_groth16::{create_proof_with_reduction_and_matrices, prepare_verifying_key, Proof};
 use ark_relations::r1cs::SynthesisError;
 use ark_std::{rand::thread_rng, UniformRand};
@@ -31,28 +31,18 @@ fn merkle_proof_to_vec(proof: &merkle_tree::Proof<PoseidonHash>) -> Vec<Field> {
         .collect()
 }
 
-/// Internal helper to hash the signal to make sure it's in the field
-fn hash_signal(signal: &[u8]) -> Field {
-    let hash = keccak256(signal);
+/// Hash arbitrary data to a field element.
+///
+/// This is used to create `signal_hash` and `external_nullifier_hash`.
+#[must_use]
+pub fn hash_to_field(data: &[u8]) -> Field {
+    let hash = keccak256(data);
     // Shift right one byte to make it fit in the field
     let mut bytes = [0_u8; 32];
     bytes[1..].copy_from_slice(&hash[..31]);
     Field::from_be_bytes_mod_order(&bytes)
 }
 
-/// Internal helper to hash the external nullifier
-#[must_use]
-pub fn hash_external_nullifier(nullifier: &[u8]) -> Field {
-    // Hash input to 256 bits.
-    let mut hash = keccak256(nullifier);
-    // Clear first four bytes to make sure the hash is in the field.
-    for byte in &mut hash[0..4] {
-        *byte = 0;
-    }
-    // Convert to field element.
-    Fp256::from_be_bytes_mod_order(&hash)
-}
-
 /// Generates the nullifier hash
 #[must_use]
 pub fn generate_nullifier_hash(identity: &Identity, external_nullifier: Field) -> Field {
@@ -82,18 +72,16 @@ fn ark_to_bigint(n: Field) -> BigInt {
 pub fn generate_proof(
     identity: &Identity,
     merkle_proof: &merkle_tree::Proof<PoseidonHash>,
-    external_nullifier: &[u8],
-    signal: &[u8],
+    external_nullifier_hash: Field,
+    signal_hash: Field,
 ) -> Result<Proof<Bn<Parameters>>, ProofError> {
-    let external_nullifier = hash_external_nullifier(external_nullifier);
-    let signal = hash_signal(signal);
     let inputs = [
         ("identityNullifier", vec![identity.nullifier]),
         ("identityTrapdoor", vec![identity.trapdoor]),
         ("treePathIndices", merkle_proof.path_index()),
         ("treeSiblings", merkle_proof_to_vec(merkle_proof)),
-        ("externalNullifier", vec![external_nullifier]),
-        ("signalHash", vec![signal]),
+        ("externalNullifier", vec![external_nullifier_hash]),
+        ("signalHash", vec![signal_hash]),
     ];
     let inputs = inputs.into_iter().map(|(name, values)| {
         (
@@ -147,18 +135,13 @@ pub fn generate_proof(
 pub fn verify_proof(
     root: Field,
     nullifier_hash: Field,
-    signal: &[u8],
-    external_nullifier: &[u8],
+    signal_hash: Field,
+    external_nullifier_hash: Field,
     proof: &Proof<Bn<Parameters>>,
 ) -> Result<bool, ProofError> {
     let pvk = prepare_verifying_key(&ZKEY.0.vk);
 
-    let public_inputs = vec![
-        root,
-        nullifier_hash,
-        hash_signal(signal),
-        hash_external_nullifier(external_nullifier),
-    ];
+    let public_inputs = vec![root, nullifier_hash, signal_hash, external_nullifier_hash];
     let result = ark_groth16::verify_proof(&pvk, proof, &public_inputs)?;
     Ok(result)
 }