diff --git a/src/scalar.h b/src/scalar.h
index df0b40ea138..2f5ba0d447a 100644
--- a/src/scalar.h
+++ b/src/scalar.h
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ static void secp256k1_scalar_set_int(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, unsigned int v);
 /** Convert a scalar to a byte array. */
 static void secp256k1_scalar_get_b32(unsigned char *bin, const secp256k1_scalar_t* a);
 
-/** Add two scalars together (modulo the group order). */
-static void secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b);
+/** Add two scalars together (modulo the group order). Returns whether it overflowed. */
+static int secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b);
 
 /** Add a power of two to a scalar. The result is not allowed to overflow. */
 static void secp256k1_scalar_add_bit(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, unsigned int bit);
diff --git a/src/scalar_4x64_impl.h b/src/scalar_4x64_impl.h
index 5706e89bdb0..d1447752202 100644
--- a/src/scalar_4x64_impl.h
+++ b/src/scalar_4x64_impl.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ SECP256K1_INLINE static int secp256k1_scalar_reduce(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, unsig
     return overflow;
 }
 
-static void secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b) {
+static int secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b) {
     uint128_t t = (uint128_t)a->d[0] + b->d[0];
     r->d[0] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 64;
     t += (uint128_t)a->d[1] + b->d[1];
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ static void secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t
     r->d[2] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 64;
     t += (uint128_t)a->d[3] + b->d[3];
     r->d[3] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 64;
-    secp256k1_scalar_reduce(r, t + secp256k1_scalar_check_overflow(r));
+    int overflow = t + secp256k1_scalar_check_overflow(r);
+    VERIFY_CHECK(overflow == 0 || overflow == 1);
+    secp256k1_scalar_reduce(r, overflow);
+    return overflow;
 }
 
 static void secp256k1_scalar_add_bit(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, unsigned int bit) {
diff --git a/src/scalar_8x32_impl.h b/src/scalar_8x32_impl.h
index 8136480502f..915cbcddbe8 100644
--- a/src/scalar_8x32_impl.h
+++ b/src/scalar_8x32_impl.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ SECP256K1_INLINE static int secp256k1_scalar_reduce(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, uint3
     return overflow;
 }
 
-static void secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b) {
+static int secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t *a, const secp256k1_scalar_t *b) {
     uint64_t t = (uint64_t)a->d[0] + b->d[0];
     r->d[0] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 32;
     t += (uint64_t)a->d[1] + b->d[1];
@@ -128,7 +128,10 @@ static void secp256k1_scalar_add(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, const secp256k1_scalar_t
     r->d[6] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 32;
     t += (uint64_t)a->d[7] + b->d[7];
     r->d[7] = t & 0xFFFFFFFFULL; t >>= 32;
-    secp256k1_scalar_reduce(r, t + secp256k1_scalar_check_overflow(r));
+    int overflow = t + secp256k1_scalar_check_overflow(r);
+    VERIFY_CHECK(overflow == 0 || overflow == 1);
+    secp256k1_scalar_reduce(r, overflow);
+    return overflow;
 }
 
 static void secp256k1_scalar_add_bit(secp256k1_scalar_t *r, unsigned int bit) {
diff --git a/src/tests.c b/src/tests.c
index 0836e1cfe04..f41046c4958 100644
--- a/src/tests.c
+++ b/src/tests.c
@@ -346,8 +346,7 @@ void scalar_test(void) {
             secp256k1_scalar_add(&b, &b, &b);
         }
         secp256k1_scalar_t r1 = s1, r2 = s1;
-        secp256k1_scalar_add(&r1, &r1, &b);
-        if (!(secp256k1_scalar_get_bits(&s1, 255, 1) == 1 && secp256k1_scalar_get_bits(&r1, 255, 1) == 0)) {
+        if (!secp256k1_scalar_add(&r1, &r1, &b)) {
             /* No overflow happened. */
             secp256k1_scalar_add_bit(&r2, bit);
             CHECK(secp256k1_scalar_eq(&r1, &r2));