diff --git a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling.rs b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling.rs
index 7c52eb0bc..c9b43e6e2 100644
--- a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling.rs
+++ b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ pub mod note_encryption;
 pub mod pedersen_hash;
 pub mod prover;
 pub mod redjubjub;
+mod spec;
 mod tree;
 pub mod util;
 pub mod value;
diff --git a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note.rs b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note.rs
index 3e20c7bf4..fa652c4aa 100644
--- a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note.rs
+++ b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-use blake2s_simd::Params as Blake2sParams;
 use byteorder::{LittleEndian, WriteBytesExt};
 use group::{
     ff::{Field, PrimeField},
@@ -84,22 +83,7 @@ impl Note {
     /// Computes the nullifier given the nullifier deriving key and
     /// note position
     pub fn nf(&self, nk: &NullifierDerivingKey, position: u64) -> Nullifier {
-        // Compute rho = cm + position.G
-        let rho = self.cm_full_point()
-            + (constants::NULLIFIER_POSITION_GENERATOR * jubjub::Fr::from(position));
-
-        // Compute nf = BLAKE2s(nk | rho)
-        Nullifier::from_slice(
-            Blake2sParams::new()
-                .hash_length(32)
-                .personal(constants::PRF_NF_PERSONALIZATION)
-                .to_state()
-                .update(&nk.0.to_bytes())
-                .update(&rho.to_bytes())
-                .finalize()
-                .as_bytes(),
-        )
-        .unwrap()
+        Nullifier::derive(nk, self.cm_full_point(), position)
     }
 
     /// Computes the note commitment
diff --git a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note/nullifier.rs b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note/nullifier.rs
index f9add0adf..bf84dd74b 100644
--- a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note/nullifier.rs
+++ b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/note/nullifier.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@ use std::array::TryFromSliceError;
 
 use subtle::{Choice, ConstantTimeEq};
 
+use crate::sapling::{
+    keys::NullifierDerivingKey,
+    spec::{mixing_pedersen_hash, prf_nf},
+};
+
 /// Typesafe wrapper for nullifier values.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Nullifier(pub [u8; 32]);
@@ -14,6 +19,20 @@ impl Nullifier {
     pub fn to_vec(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
         self.0.to_vec()
     }
+
+    /// $DeriveNullifier$.
+    ///
+    /// Defined in [Zcash Protocol Spec § 4.16: Note Commitments and Nullifiers][commitmentsandnullifiers].
+    ///
+    /// [commitmentsandnullifiers]: https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#commitmentsandnullifiers
+    pub(super) fn derive(
+        nk: &NullifierDerivingKey,
+        cm: jubjub::SubgroupPoint,
+        position: u64,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let rho = mixing_pedersen_hash(cm, position);
+        Nullifier(prf_nf(&nk.0, &rho))
+    }
 }
 
 impl AsRef<[u8]> for Nullifier {
diff --git a/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/spec.rs b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/spec.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f3686a99a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zcash_primitives/src/sapling/spec.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+//! Helper functions defined in the Zcash Protocol Specification.
+
+use blake2s_simd::Params as Blake2sParams;
+use group::GroupEncoding;
+
+use crate::constants::{NULLIFIER_POSITION_GENERATOR, PRF_NF_PERSONALIZATION};
+
+/// $MixingPedersenHash$.
+///
+/// Defined in [Zcash Protocol Spec § 5.4.1.8: Mixing Pedersen Hash Function][concretemixinghash].
+///
+/// [concretemixinghash]: https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#concretemixinghash
+pub(crate) fn mixing_pedersen_hash(
+    cm: jubjub::SubgroupPoint,
+    position: u64,
+) -> jubjub::SubgroupPoint {
+    cm + (NULLIFIER_POSITION_GENERATOR * jubjub::Fr::from(position))
+}
+
+/// $PRF^\mathsf{nfSapling}_{nk}(\rho)$
+///
+/// Defined in [Zcash Protocol Spec § 5.4.2: Pseudo Random Functions][concreteprfs].
+///
+/// [concreteprfs]: https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#concreteprfs
+pub(crate) fn prf_nf(nk: &jubjub::SubgroupPoint, rho: &jubjub::SubgroupPoint) -> [u8; 32] {
+    Blake2sParams::new()
+        .hash_length(32)
+        .personal(PRF_NF_PERSONALIZATION)
+        .to_state()
+        .update(&nk.to_bytes())
+        .update(&rho.to_bytes())
+        .finalize()
+        .as_bytes()
+        .try_into()
+        .expect("output length is correct")
+}