diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/amount.rs b/zebra-chain/src/amount.rs
index 60a8c5c5f..8cea75757 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/amount.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/amount.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,17 @@ impl<C> From<Amount<C>> for jubjub::Fr {
     }
 }
 
+impl<C> From<Amount<C>> for halo2::pasta::pallas::Scalar {
+    fn from(a: Amount<C>) -> halo2::pasta::pallas::Scalar {
+        // TODO: this isn't constant time -- does that matter?
+        if a.0 < 0 {
+            halo2::pasta::pallas::Scalar::from(a.0.abs() as u64).neg()
+        } else {
+            halo2::pasta::pallas::Scalar::from(a.0 as u64)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl<C> TryFrom<i64> for Amount<C>
 where
     C: Constraint,
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/orchard/commitment.rs b/zebra-chain/src/orchard/commitment.rs
index 275d25026..fc3740892 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/orchard/commitment.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/orchard/commitment.rs
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ impl TryFrom<[u8; 32]> for NoteCommitment {
     type Error = &'static str;
 
     fn try_from(bytes: [u8; 32]) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
-        let possible_point = pallas::Affine::from_bytes(bytes);
+        let possible_point = pallas::Affine::from_bytes(&bytes);
 
         if possible_point.is_some().into() {
             Ok(Self(possible_point.unwrap()))
@@ -135,9 +135,20 @@ impl NoteCommitment {
 
         Some((
             rcm,
-            NoteCommitment::from(sinsemilla_commit(rcm.0, "z.cash:Orchard-NoteCommit", &s)),
+            NoteCommitment::from(sinsemilla_commit(rcm.0, b"z.cash:Orchard-NoteCommit", &s)),
         ))
     }
+
+    /// Hash Extractor for Pallas
+    ///
+    /// https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#concreteextractorpallas
+    pub fn extract_x(&self) -> pallas::Base {
+        match self.0.get_xy().into {
+            // If Some, it's not the identity.
+            Some((x, _)) => x,
+            _ => pallas::Base::zero(),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 /// A homomorphic Pedersen commitment to the net value of a note, used in Action
@@ -159,8 +170,7 @@ impl std::ops::Add<ValueCommitment> for ValueCommitment {
     type Output = Self;
 
     fn add(self, rhs: ValueCommitment) -> Self::Output {
-        let value = self.0.to_extended() + rhs.0.to_extended();
-        ValueCommitment(value.into())
+        ValueCommitment((self.0 + rhs.0).into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -212,7 +222,7 @@ impl std::ops::Sub<ValueCommitment> for ValueCommitment {
     type Output = Self;
 
     fn sub(self, rhs: ValueCommitment) -> Self::Output {
-        ValueCommitment((self.0.to_extended() - rhs.0.to_extended()).into())
+        ValueCommitment((self.0 - rhs.0).into())
     }
 }
 
@@ -284,7 +294,7 @@ impl ValueCommitment {
     /// https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#concretehomomorphiccommit
     #[allow(non_snake_case)]
     pub fn new(rcv: pallas::Scalar, value: Amount) -> Self {
-        let v = pallas::Scalar::from_bytes(value.to_bytes());
+        let v = pallas::Scalar::from(value);
 
         // TODO: These generator points can be generated once somewhere else to
         // avoid having to recompute them on every new commitment.
@@ -448,7 +458,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         let sum: ValueCommitment = vec![g, other_g].into_iter().sum();
 
-        let doubled_g = ValueCommitment(g_point.to_extended().double().into());
+        let doubled_g = ValueCommitment(g_point.into().double().into());
 
         assert_eq!(sum, doubled_g);
     }
diff --git a/zebra-chain/src/primitives/redpallas.rs b/zebra-chain/src/primitives/redpallas.rs
index f364adbd0..ef3754e01 100644
--- a/zebra-chain/src/primitives/redpallas.rs
+++ b/zebra-chain/src/primitives/redpallas.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use halo2::pasta::pallas;
 
 // pub mod batch;
 mod constants;
-// mod error;
+mod error;
 // pub mod frost;
 // mod hash;
 // mod scalar_mul;
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ mod constants;
 mod signing_key;
 mod verification_key;
 
+pub use error::Error;
 pub use signing_key::SigningKey;
 pub use verification_key::{VerificationKey, VerificationKeyBytes};