diff --git a/src/field.h b/src/field.h
index 62aa1ff24aa..b338047b5d9 100644
--- a/src/field.h
+++ b/src/field.h
@@ -104,11 +104,11 @@ static void secp256k1_fe_inv_var(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const secp256k1_fe_t *a);
  *  outputs must not overlap in memory. */
 static void secp256k1_fe_inv_all_var(size_t len, secp256k1_fe_t *r, const secp256k1_fe_t *a);
 
-/** Convert a field element to a hexadecimal string. */
-static void secp256k1_fe_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_fe_t *a);
+/** Convert a field element to a 64-character hexadecimal string. */
+static void secp256k1_fe_get_hex(char *r64, const secp256k1_fe_t *a);
 
-/** Convert a hexadecimal string to a field element. */
-static int secp256k1_fe_set_hex(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const char *a, int alen);
+/** Convert a 64-character hexadecimal string to a field element. */
+static int secp256k1_fe_set_hex(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const char *a64);
 
 /** If flag is true, set *r equal to *a; otherwise leave it. Constant-time. */
 static void secp256k1_fe_cmov(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const secp256k1_fe_t *a, int flag);
diff --git a/src/field_impl.h b/src/field_impl.h
index 25c15a90fce..51db44e4ed1 100644
--- a/src/field_impl.h
+++ b/src/field_impl.h
@@ -21,29 +21,23 @@
 #error "Please select field implementation"
 #endif
 
-static void secp256k1_fe_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_fe_t *a) {
+static void secp256k1_fe_get_hex(char *r64, const secp256k1_fe_t *a) {
     secp256k1_fe_t b;
     int i;
     unsigned char tmp[32];
-    if (*rlen < 65) {
-        *rlen = 65;
-        return;
-    }
-    *rlen = 65;
     b = *a;
     secp256k1_fe_normalize(&b);
     secp256k1_fe_get_b32(tmp, &b);
     for (i=0; i<32; i++) {
         static const char *c = "0123456789ABCDEF";
-        r[2*i]   = c[(tmp[i] >> 4) & 0xF];
-        r[2*i+1] = c[(tmp[i]) & 0xF];
+        r64[2*i]   = c[(tmp[i] >> 4) & 0xF];
+        r64[2*i+1] = c[(tmp[i]) & 0xF];
     }
-    r[64] = 0x00;
 }
 
-static int secp256k1_fe_set_hex(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const char *a, int alen) {
+static int secp256k1_fe_set_hex(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const char *a64) {
     int i;
-    unsigned char tmp[32] = {0};
+    unsigned char tmp[32];
     static const int cvt[256] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
                                  0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
                                  0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
@@ -61,8 +55,7 @@ static int secp256k1_fe_set_hex(secp256k1_fe_t *r, const char *a, int alen) {
                                  0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,
                                  0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0};
     for (i=0; i<32; i++) {
-        if (alen > i*2)
-            tmp[32 - alen/2 + i] = (cvt[(unsigned char)a[2*i]] << 4) + cvt[(unsigned char)a[2*i+1]];
+        tmp[i] = (cvt[(unsigned char)a64[2*i]] << 4) + cvt[(unsigned char)a64[2*i+1]];
     }
     return secp256k1_fe_set_b32(r, tmp);
 }
diff --git a/src/group.h b/src/group.h
index 53188403e41..212c5d26a77 100644
--- a/src/group.h
+++ b/src/group.h
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ static int secp256k1_ge_is_valid_var(const secp256k1_ge_t *a);
 
 static void secp256k1_ge_neg(secp256k1_ge_t *r, const secp256k1_ge_t *a);
 
-/** Get a hex representation of a point. *rlen will be overwritten with the real length. */
-static void secp256k1_ge_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_ge_t *a);
+/** Get a 131-character hex representation of a point. */
+static void secp256k1_ge_get_hex(char *r131, const secp256k1_ge_t *a);
 
 /** Set a group element equal to another which is given in jacobian coordinates */
 static void secp256k1_ge_set_gej(secp256k1_ge_t *r, secp256k1_gej_t *a);
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ static void secp256k1_gej_add_ge(secp256k1_gej_t *r, const secp256k1_gej_t *a, c
     guarantee, and b is allowed to be infinity. */
 static void secp256k1_gej_add_ge_var(secp256k1_gej_t *r, const secp256k1_gej_t *a, const secp256k1_ge_t *b);
 
-/** Get a hex representation of a point. *rlen will be overwritten with the real length. */
-static void secp256k1_gej_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_gej_t *a);
+/** Get a 131-character hex representation of a point. */
+static void secp256k1_gej_get_hex(char *r131, const secp256k1_gej_t *a);
 
 #ifdef USE_ENDOMORPHISM
 /** Set r to be equal to lambda times a, where lambda is chosen in a way such that this is very fast. */
diff --git a/src/group_impl.h b/src/group_impl.h
index ea15dd38c5c..81939326e61 100644
--- a/src/group_impl.h
+++ b/src/group_impl.h
@@ -45,25 +45,12 @@ static void secp256k1_ge_neg(secp256k1_ge_t *r, const secp256k1_ge_t *a) {
     secp256k1_fe_negate(&r->y, &r->y, 1);
 }
 
-static void secp256k1_ge_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_ge_t *a) {
-    char cx[65]; int lx=65;
-    char cy[65]; int ly=65;
-    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(cx, &lx, &a->x);
-    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(cy, &ly, &a->y);
-    lx = strlen(cx);
-    ly = strlen(cy);
-    int len = lx + ly + 3 + 1;
-    if (*rlen < len) {
-        *rlen = len;
-        return;
-    }
-    *rlen = len;
-    r[0] = '(';
-    memcpy(r+1, cx, lx);
-    r[1+lx] = ',';
-    memcpy(r+2+lx, cy, ly);
-    r[2+lx+ly] = ')';
-    r[3+lx+ly] = 0;
+static void secp256k1_ge_get_hex(char *r131, const secp256k1_ge_t *a) {
+    r131[0] = '(';
+    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(r131 + 1, &a->x);
+    r131[65] = ',';
+    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(r131 + 66, &a->y);
+    r131[130] = ')';
 }
 
 static void secp256k1_ge_set_gej(secp256k1_ge_t *r, secp256k1_gej_t *a) {
@@ -399,12 +386,10 @@ static void secp256k1_gej_add_ge(secp256k1_gej_t *r, const secp256k1_gej_t *a, c
     r->infinity = infinity;
 }
 
-
-
-static void secp256k1_gej_get_hex(char *r, int *rlen, const secp256k1_gej_t *a) {
+static void secp256k1_gej_get_hex(char *r131, const secp256k1_gej_t *a) {
     secp256k1_gej_t c = *a;
     secp256k1_ge_t t; secp256k1_ge_set_gej(&t, &c);
-    secp256k1_ge_get_hex(r, rlen, &t);
+    secp256k1_ge_get_hex(r131, &t);
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_ENDOMORPHISM
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index 54707e0f51b..21eb696892c 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -928,8 +928,8 @@ void run_ge(void) {
 
 void run_ecmult_chain(void) {
     /* random starting point A (on the curve) */
-    secp256k1_fe_t ax; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&ax, "8b30bbe9ae2a990696b22f670709dff3727fd8bc04d3362c6c7bf458e2846004", 64));
-    secp256k1_fe_t ay; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&ay, "a357ae915c4a65281309edf20504740f0eb3343990216b4f81063cb65f2f7e0f", 64));
+    secp256k1_fe_t ax; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&ax, "8b30bbe9ae2a990696b22f670709dff3727fd8bc04d3362c6c7bf458e2846004"));
+    secp256k1_fe_t ay; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&ay, "a357ae915c4a65281309edf20504740f0eb3343990216b4f81063cb65f2f7e0f"));
     secp256k1_gej_t a; secp256k1_gej_set_xy(&a, &ax, &ay);
     /* two random initial factors xn and gn */
     static const unsigned char xni[32] = {
@@ -976,19 +976,18 @@ void run_ecmult_chain(void) {
 
         /* verify */
         if (i == 19999) {
-            char res[132]; int resl = 132;
-            secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res, &resl, &x);
-            CHECK(strcmp(res, "(D6E96687F9B10D092A6F35439D86CEBEA4535D0D409F53586440BD74B933E830,B95CBCA2C77DA786539BE8FD53354D2D3B4F566AE658045407ED6015EE1B2A88)") == 0);
+            char res[131];
+            secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res, &x);
+            CHECK(memcmp(res, "(D6E96687F9B10D092A6F35439D86CEBEA4535D0D409F53586440BD74B933E830,B95CBCA2C77DA786539BE8FD53354D2D3B4F566AE658045407ED6015EE1B2A88)", 131) == 0);
         }
     }
     /* redo the computation, but directly with the resulting ae and ge coefficients: */
     secp256k1_gej_t x2; secp256k1_ecmult(&x2, &a, &ae, &ge);
-    char res[132]; int resl = 132;
-    char res2[132]; int resl2 = 132;
-    secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res, &resl, &x);
-    secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res2, &resl2, &x2);
-    CHECK(strcmp(res, res2) == 0);
-    CHECK(strlen(res) == 131);
+    char res[131];
+    char res2[131];
+    secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res, &x);
+    secp256k1_gej_get_hex(res2, &x2);
+    CHECK(memcmp(res, res2, 131) == 0);
 }
 
 void test_point_times_order(const secp256k1_gej_t *point) {
@@ -1015,7 +1014,7 @@ void test_point_times_order(const secp256k1_gej_t *point) {
 }
 
 void run_point_times_order(void) {
-    secp256k1_fe_t x; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&x, "02", 2));
+    secp256k1_fe_t x; VERIFY_CHECK(secp256k1_fe_set_hex(&x, "0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000002"));
     for (int i=0; i<500; i++) {
         secp256k1_ge_t p;
         if (secp256k1_ge_set_xo_var(&p, &x, 1)) {
@@ -1027,14 +1026,9 @@ void run_point_times_order(void) {
         }
         secp256k1_fe_sqr(&x, &x);
     }
-    char c[65];
-    int cl = 1;
-    c[1] = 123;
-    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(c, &cl, &x); /* Check that fe_get_hex handles a too short input. */
-    CHECK(c[1] == 123);
-    cl = 65;
-    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(c, &cl, &x);
-    CHECK(strcmp(c, "7603CB59B0EF6C63FE6084792A0C378CDB3233A80F8A9A09A877DEAD31B38C45") == 0);
+    char c[64];
+    secp256k1_fe_get_hex(c, &x);
+    CHECK(memcmp(c, "7603CB59B0EF6C63FE6084792A0C378CDB3233A80F8A9A09A877DEAD31B38C45", 64) == 0);
 }
 
 void test_wnaf(const secp256k1_scalar_t *number, int w) {