diff --git a/std/conversion/conversion.go b/std/conversion/conversion.go
index 158420d5c..46566265e 100644
--- a/std/conversion/conversion.go
+++ b/std/conversion/conversion.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func BytesToNative(api frontend.API, b []uints.U8, opts ...Option) (frontend.Var
 	}
 	// check that the input was in range of the field modulus. Omit if cfg.allowOverflow is set.
 	if !cfg.allowOverflow {
-		assertBytesLeq(api, b, api.Compiler().Field())
+		assertBytesLt(api, b, api.Compiler().Field())
 	}
 	return res, nil
 }
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ func NativeToBytes(api frontend.API, v frontend.Variable, opts ...Option) ([]uin
 	// check if we don't care about the uniqueness (in case later when composing
 	// back to native element the check is done there).
 	if !cfg.allowOverflow {
-		assertBytesLeq(api, resU8, api.Compiler().Field())
+		assertBytesLt(api, resU8, api.Compiler().Field())
 	}
 	return resU8, nil
 }
@@ -337,3 +337,30 @@ func assertBytesLeq(api frontend.API, b []uints.U8, bound *big.Int) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func assertBytesLt(api frontend.API, b []uints.U8, bound *big.Int) error {
+	bapi, err := uints.NewBytes(api)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	mBytes := bound.Bytes()
+	if len(b) < len(mBytes) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < len(b)-len(mBytes); i++ {
+		api.AssertIsEqual(bapi.ValueUnchecked(b[i]), 0)
+	}
+	bb := b[len(b)-len(mBytes):]
+	rchecker := rangecheck.New(api)
+	var eq_i frontend.Variable = 1
+	for i := range mBytes {
+		diff := api.Sub(mBytes[i], bapi.Value(bb[i]))
+		nbBits := bits.Len8(mBytes[i])
+		rchecker.Check(api.Mul(eq_i, diff), nbBits)
+		isEq := api.IsZero(diff)
+		eq_i = api.Mul(eq_i, isEq)
+	}
+	// when lengths are comparable, disallow equality
+	api.AssertIsEqual(eq_i, 0)
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/std/conversion/conversion_test.go b/std/conversion/conversion_test.go
index 45b9ad726..41aab5b19 100644
--- a/std/conversion/conversion_test.go
+++ b/std/conversion/conversion_test.go
@@ -407,3 +407,17 @@ func TestAssertBytesLeq(t *testing.T) {
 	tc(assert, []byte{253, 253, 253}, []byte{254, 252}, true)
 	tc(assert, []byte{253, 253, 253}, []byte{0, 254, 252}, true)
 }
+
+func TestBytesToNative_EqualModulus(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := test.NewAssert(t)
+	assert.Run(func(assert *test.Assert) {
+		m := fr_bn254.Modulus()
+		sbytes := m.Bytes()
+		// Expect invalid since strict < modulus must hold
+		assert.CheckCircuit(
+			&BytesToNativeCircuit{In: make([]uints.U8, len(sbytes))},
+			test.WithInvalidAssignment(&BytesToNativeCircuit{In: uints.NewU8Array(sbytes), Expected: big.NewInt(0)}),
+			test.WithCurves(ecc.BN254),
+		)
+	}, "equal-modulus")
+}