diff --git a/crates/pecos-python/src/sparse_sim.rs b/crates/pecos-python/src/sparse_sim.rs
index 213b60121..acdcc36e3 100644
--- a/crates/pecos-python/src/sparse_sim.rs
+++ b/crates/pecos-python/src/sparse_sim.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 // or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
 // the License.
 
+#![allow(clippy::useless_conversion)]
+
 use pecos::prelude::*;
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 use pyo3::types::{PyDict, PyTuple};
diff --git a/python/quantum-pecos/src/pecos/classical_interpreters/phir_classical_interpreter.py b/python/quantum-pecos/src/pecos/classical_interpreters/phir_classical_interpreter.py
index 955a69376..28e8f6c00 100644
--- a/python/quantum-pecos/src/pecos/classical_interpreters/phir_classical_interpreter.py
+++ b/python/quantum-pecos/src/pecos/classical_interpreters/phir_classical_interpreter.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 import warnings
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 
+import numpy as np
 from phir.model import PHIRModel
 
 from pecos.classical_interpreters.classical_interpreter_abc import ClassicalInterpreter
@@ -203,8 +204,22 @@ def get_cval(self, cvar):
         return self.cenv[cid]
 
     def get_bit(self, cvar, idx):
-        val = self.get_cval(cvar) & (1 << idx)
-        val >>= idx
+        cval = self.get_cval(cvar)
+        dtype = type(cval)
+
+        # Check if idx is within valid range for the data type
+        bit_width = 8 * np.dtype(dtype).itemsize
+        if idx >= bit_width:
+            msg = f"Bit index {idx} out of range for {dtype} (max {bit_width - 1})"
+            raise ValueError(
+                msg,
+            )
+
+        # Use the same data type for the constant 1
+        one = dtype(1)
+        mask = one << dtype(idx)
+
+        val = (cval & mask) >> dtype(idx)
         return val
 
     def eval_expr(self, expr: int | str | list | pt.opt.COp) -> int | None:
diff --git a/python/tests/pecos/unit/test_phir_classical_interpreter.py b/python/tests/pecos/unit/test_phir_classical_interpreter.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0b8ebc168
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/tests/pecos/unit/test_phir_classical_interpreter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+from pecos.classical_interpreters.phir_classical_interpreter import (
+    PHIRClassicalInterpreter,
+)
+
+# Note: This test assumes the get_bit method has been updated to include bounds checking.
+# If you're implementing the int() conversion approach instead, this test should be removed.
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def interpreter():
+    """Create and initialize a PHIRClassicalInterpreter with essential test data."""
+    interpreter = PHIRClassicalInterpreter()
+
+    # Set up test variables
+    interpreter.csym2id = {
+        "u8_var": 0,
+        "u64_var": 1,
+    }
+
+    # Test patterns: alternating bits for u8, highest bit set for u64
+    interpreter.cenv = [
+        np.uint8(0b10101010),  # u8_var with alternating bits
+        np.uint64(0x8000000000000000),  # u64_var with only bit 63 set
+    ]
+
+    interpreter.cid2dtype = [
+        np.uint8,
+        np.uint64,
+    ]
+
+    return interpreter
+
+
+def test_get_bit_basic_functionality(interpreter):
+    """Test basic bit retrieval functionality."""
+    # Test alternating 0s and 1s in the 8-bit variable
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u8_var", 0) == 0
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u8_var", 1) == 1
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u8_var", 7) == 1
+
+
+def test_get_bit_highest_bit(interpreter):
+    """Test accessing the highest bit of a 64-bit value, which is most likely to cause issues."""
+    # This is the critical test for the potential overflow issue
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u64_var", 63) == 1
+
+    # Verify lower bits are 0
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u64_var", 0) == 0
+    assert interpreter.get_bit("u64_var", 62) == 0
+
+
+def test_get_bit_out_of_bounds(interpreter):
+    """Test that attempting to access bits beyond the data type width raises an error."""
+    # Test with specific error message patterns matching the implementation
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError,
+        match=r"Bit index 8 out of range for.*uint8.* \(max 7\)",
+    ):
+        interpreter.get_bit("u8_var", 8)  # u8 has bits 0-7 only
+
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError,
+        match=r"Bit index 64 out of range for.*uint64.* \(max 63\)",
+    ):
+        interpreter.get_bit("u64_var", 64)  # u64 has bits 0-63 only
+
+    # Test with an extremely large index
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError,
+        match=r"Bit index 1000 out of range for.*uint64.* \(max 63\)",
+    ):
+        interpreter.get_bit("u64_var", 1000)