diff --git a/Crypto/ECC.hs b/Crypto/ECC.hs
index ea4d153..02e1777 100644
--- a/Crypto/ECC.hs
+++ b/Crypto/ECC.hs
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ instance EllipticCurve Curve_P256R1 where
         Nothing -> CryptoFailed $ CryptoError_PointSizeInvalid
         Just (m,xy)
             -- uncompressed
-            | m == 4 -> P256.pointFromBinary xy >>= validateP256Point
+            | m == 4 -> P256.pointFromBinary xy
             | otherwise -> CryptoFailed $ CryptoError_PointFormatInvalid
 
 instance EllipticCurveArith Curve_P256R1 where
@@ -210,11 +210,6 @@ instance EllipticCurveDH Curve_X448 where
     ecdh _ s p = SharedSecret $ convert secret
       where secret = X448.dh p s
 
-validateP256Point :: P256.Point -> CryptoFailable P256.Point
-validateP256Point p
-    | P256.pointIsValid p = CryptoPassed p
-    | otherwise           = CryptoFailed $ CryptoError_PointCoordinatesInvalid
-
 encodeECPoint :: forall curve bs . (Simple.Curve curve, ByteArray bs) => Simple.Point curve -> bs
 encodeECPoint Simple.PointO      = error "encodeECPoint: cannot serialize point at infinity"
 encodeECPoint (Simple.Point x y) = B.concat [uncompressed,xb,yb]
diff --git a/Crypto/PubKey/ECC/P256.hs b/Crypto/PubKey/ECC/P256.hs
index 4708985..ba9ac60 100644
--- a/Crypto/PubKey/ECC/P256.hs
+++ b/Crypto/PubKey/ECC/P256.hs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ module Crypto.PubKey.ECC.P256
     , pointFromIntegers
     , pointToBinary
     , pointFromBinary
+    , unsafePointFromBinary
     -- * scalar arithmetic
     , scalarGenerate
     , scalarZero
@@ -172,9 +173,18 @@ pointToBinary p = B.unsafeCreate pointSize $ \dst -> withPoint p $ \px py -> do
     ccryptonite_p256_to_bin (castPtr px) dst
     ccryptonite_p256_to_bin (castPtr py) (dst `plusPtr` 32)
 
--- | Convert from binary to a point
+-- | Convert from binary to a valid point
 pointFromBinary :: ByteArrayAccess ba => ba -> CryptoFailable Point
-pointFromBinary ba
+pointFromBinary ba = unsafePointFromBinary ba >>= validatePoint
+  where
+    validatePoint :: Point -> CryptoFailable Point
+    validatePoint p
+        | pointIsValid p = CryptoPassed p
+        | otherwise      = CryptoFailed $ CryptoError_PointCoordinatesInvalid
+
+-- | Convert from binary to a point, possibly invalid
+unsafePointFromBinary :: ByteArrayAccess ba => ba -> CryptoFailable Point
+unsafePointFromBinary ba
     | B.length ba /= pointSize = CryptoFailed $ CryptoError_PublicKeySizeInvalid
     | otherwise                =
         CryptoPassed $ withNewPoint $ \px py -> B.withByteArray ba $ \src -> do
diff --git a/tests/KAT_PubKey/P256.hs b/tests/KAT_PubKey/P256.hs
index 9549564..6b6d279 100644
--- a/tests/KAT_PubKey/P256.hs
+++ b/tests/KAT_PubKey/P256.hs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ tests = testGroup "P256"
         [ testProperty "marshalling" $ \rx ry ->
             let p = P256.pointFromIntegers (unP256 rx, unP256 ry)
                 b = P256.pointToBinary p :: Bytes
-                p' = P256.pointFromBinary b
+                p' = P256.unsafePointFromBinary b
              in propertyHold [ eqTest "point" (CryptoPassed p) p' ]
         , testProperty "marshalling-integer" $ \rx ry ->
             let p = P256.pointFromIntegers (unP256 rx, unP256 ry)