diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/benchmark/basics_bench/basics.bench.cpp b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/benchmark/basics_bench/basics.bench.cpp
index 8591e02d73a2..586199aea53e 100644
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/benchmark/basics_bench/basics.bench.cpp
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/benchmark/basics_bench/basics.bench.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "barretenberg/common/op_count.hpp"
 #include "barretenberg/common/thread.hpp"
 #include "barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/bn254.hpp"
+#include "barretenberg/numeric/random/engine.hpp"
 #include "barretenberg/polynomials/polynomial.hpp"
 #include "barretenberg/srs/global_crs.hpp"
 #include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
@@ -466,6 +467,19 @@ void pippenger(State& state)
         benchmark::DoNotOptimize(ck->commit(pol));
     }
 }
+
+void bn254fr_random(State& state)
+{
+    numeric::RNG& engine = numeric::get_randomness();
+    for (auto _ : state) {
+        state.PauseTiming();
+        size_t num_cycles = 1UL << static_cast<size_t>(state.range(0));
+        state.ResumeTiming();
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < num_cycles; i++) {
+            benchmark::DoNotOptimize(fr::random_element(&engine));
+        }
+    }
+}
 } // namespace
 
 BENCHMARK(parallel_for_field_element_addition)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(0, MAX_REPETITION_LOG);
@@ -485,4 +499,5 @@ BENCHMARK(sequential_copy)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(20, 25);
 BENCHMARK(uint_multiplication)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(12, 27);
 BENCHMARK(uint_extended_multiplication)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(12, 27);
 BENCHMARK(pippenger)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(16, 20)->Setup(DoPippengerSetup)->Iterations(5);
+BENCHMARK(bn254fr_random)->Unit(kMicrosecond)->DenseRange(10, 20);
 BENCHMARK_MAIN();
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fq.test.cpp b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fq.test.cpp
index 343156b5c18a..7281257356df 100644
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fq.test.cpp
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fq.test.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #include "fq.hpp"
+#include "barretenberg/numeric/random/engine.hpp"
+#include "barretenberg/numeric/uint256/uint256.hpp"
 #include "barretenberg/serialize/test_helper.hpp"
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
@@ -526,4 +528,17 @@ TEST(fq, NegAndSelfNeg0CmpRegression)
     a_neg = 0;
     a_neg.self_neg();
     EXPECT_EQ((a == a_neg), true);
+}
+
+// This test shows that ((lo|hi)% modulus) in uint512_t is equivalent to (lo + 2^256 * hi) in field elements so we
+// don't have to use the slow API (uint512_t' modulo operation)
+TEST(fq, EquivalentRandomness)
+{
+    auto& engine = numeric::get_debug_randomness();
+    uint512_t random_uint512 = engine.get_random_uint512();
+    auto random_lo = fq(random_uint512.lo);
+    auto random_hi = fq(random_uint512.hi);
+    uint512_t q(fq::modulus);
+    constexpr auto pow_2_256 = fq(uint256_t(1) << 128).sqr();
+    EXPECT_EQ(random_lo + pow_2_256 * random_hi, fq((random_uint512 % q).lo));
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fr.test.cpp b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fr.test.cpp
index 7d2d89edd043..9e49512c501f 100644
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fr.test.cpp
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/curves/bn254/fr.test.cpp
@@ -378,4 +378,16 @@ TEST(fr, Uint256Conversions)
 
     static_assert(a == c);
     EXPECT_EQ(a, c);
+}
+// This test shows that ((lo|hi)% modulus) in uint512_t is equivalent to (lo + 2^256 * hi) in field elements so we
+// don't have to use the slow API (uint512_t's modulo operation)
+TEST(fr, EquivalentRandomness)
+{
+    auto& engine = numeric::get_debug_randomness();
+    uint512_t random_uint512 = engine.get_random_uint512();
+    auto random_lo = fr(random_uint512.lo);
+    auto random_hi = fr(random_uint512.hi);
+    uint512_t r(fr::modulus);
+    constexpr auto pow_2_256 = fr(uint256_t(1) << 128).sqr();
+    EXPECT_EQ(random_lo + pow_2_256 * random_hi, fr((random_uint512 % r).lo));
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/fields/field_impl.hpp b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/fields/field_impl.hpp
index 4ab221fc7193..17f034e40d78 100644
--- a/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/fields/field_impl.hpp
+++ b/barretenberg/cpp/src/barretenberg/ecc/fields/field_impl.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "./field_declarations.hpp"
+#include "barretenberg/numeric/uint256/uint256.hpp"
 
 namespace bb {
 
@@ -687,11 +688,18 @@ template <class T> field<T> field<T>::random_element(numeric::RNG* engine) noexc
     if (engine == nullptr) {
         engine = &numeric::get_randomness();
     }
-
-    uint512_t source = engine->get_random_uint512();
-    uint512_t q(modulus);
-    uint512_t reduced = source % q;
-    return field(reduced.lo);
+    constexpr field pow_2_256 = field(uint256_t(1) << 128).sqr();
+    field lo;
+    field hi;
+    *(uint256_t*)lo.data = engine->get_random_uint256();
+    *(uint256_t*)hi.data = engine->get_random_uint256();
+    lo.self_reduce_once();
+    lo.self_reduce_once();
+    lo.self_reduce_once();
+    hi.self_reduce_once();
+    hi.self_reduce_once();
+    hi.self_reduce_once();
+    return lo + (pow_2_256 * hi);
 }
 
 template <class T> constexpr size_t field<T>::primitive_root_log_size() noexcept