diff --git a/src/sha256.nr b/src/sha256.nr
index 7cb67d8..3994847 100644
--- a/src/sha256.nr
+++ b/src/sha256.nr
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ fn verify_msg_block_equals_last(
 }
 
 // Set the rightmost `zeros` number of bytes to 0.
+#[inline_always]
 fn set_item_zeros(item: u32, zeros: u8) -> u32 {
     lshift8(rshift8(item, zeros), zeros)
 }
@@ -360,6 +361,7 @@ fn get_item_byte(mut msg_item: u32, msg_byte_ptr: BLOCK_BYTE_PTR) -> u8 {
 // Project a byte into a position in a field based on the overall block pointer.
 // For example putting 1 into pointer 5 would be 100, because overall we would
 // have [____, 0100] with indexes [0123,4567].
+#[inline_always]
 fn byte_into_item(msg_byte: u8, msg_byte_ptr: BLOCK_BYTE_PTR) -> u32 {
     let mut msg_item = msg_byte as u32;
     // How many times do we have to shift to the left to get to the position we want?
@@ -369,6 +371,7 @@ fn byte_into_item(msg_byte: u8, msg_byte_ptr: BLOCK_BYTE_PTR) -> u32 {
 }
 
 // Construct a field out of 4 bytes.
+#[inline_always]
 fn make_item(b0: u8, b1: u8, b2: u8, b3: u8) -> u32 {
     let mut item = b0 as u32;
     item = lshift8(item, 1) + b1 as u32;
@@ -380,6 +383,7 @@ fn make_item(b0: u8, b1: u8, b2: u8, b3: u8) -> u32 {
 // Shift by 8 bits to the left between 0 and 4 times.
 // Checks `is_unconstrained()` to just use a bitshift if we're running in an unconstrained context,
 // otherwise multiplies by 256.
+#[inline_always]
 fn lshift8(item: u32, shifts: u8) -> u32 {
     if is_unconstrained() {
         // Brillig wouldn't shift 0<<4 without overflow.