diff --git a/py_ecc/fields/field_elements.py b/py_ecc/fields/field_elements.py
index cd8db3fe..5d223b8b 100644
--- a/py_ecc/fields/field_elements.py
+++ b/py_ecc/fields/field_elements.py
@@ -15,21 +15,6 @@
 IntOrFQ = Union[int, "FQ"]
 
 
-def normalize_FQ_point(value: IntOrFQ) -> int:
-    """
-    Normalize FQ Point or any integer to integer
-    """
-    if isinstance(value, int):
-        return value
-    elif isinstance(value, FQ):
-        return value.n
-    else:
-        raise TypeError(
-            "Expected an int or FQ object, but got object of type {}"
-            .format(type(value))
-        )
-
-
 class FQ(object):
     """
     A class for field elements in FQ. Wrap a number in this class,
@@ -59,11 +44,19 @@ def __init__(self, val: IntOrFQ) -> None:
             )
 
     def __add__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n + on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __mul__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n * on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __rmul__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
@@ -73,15 +66,27 @@ def __radd__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
         return self + other
 
     def __rsub__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((on - self.n) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __sub__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n - on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __div__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)(
             self.n * prime_field_inv(on, self.field_modulus) % self.field_modulus
         )
@@ -90,7 +95,11 @@ def __truediv__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
         return self.__div__(other)
 
     def __rdiv__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)(
             prime_field_inv(self.n, self.field_modulus) * on % self.field_modulus
         )
diff --git a/py_ecc/fields/optimized_field_elements.py b/py_ecc/fields/optimized_field_elements.py
index 9e48ce82..a501726f 100644
--- a/py_ecc/fields/optimized_field_elements.py
+++ b/py_ecc/fields/optimized_field_elements.py
@@ -15,21 +15,6 @@
 IntOrFQ = Union[int, "FQ"]
 
 
-def normalize_FQ_point(value: IntOrFQ) -> int:
-    """
-    Normalize FQ Point or any integer to integer
-    """
-    if isinstance(value, int):
-        return value
-    elif isinstance(value, FQ):
-        return value.n
-    else:
-        raise TypeError(
-            "Expected an int or FQ object, but got object of type {}"
-            .format(type(value))
-        )
-
-
 class FQ(object):
     """
     A class for field elements in FQ. Wrap a number in this class,
@@ -59,11 +44,19 @@ def __init__(self, val: IntOrFQ) -> None:
             )
 
     def __add__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n + on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __mul__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n * on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __rmul__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
@@ -73,18 +66,30 @@ def __radd__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
         return self + other
 
     def __rsub__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((on - self.n) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __sub__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)((self.n - on) % self.field_modulus)
 
     def __mod__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
         raise NotImplementedError("Modulo Operation not yet supported by fields")
 
     def __div__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)(
             self.n * prime_field_inv(on, self.field_modulus) % self.field_modulus
         )
@@ -93,7 +98,11 @@ def __truediv__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
         return self.__div__(other)
 
     def __rdiv__(self, other: IntOrFQ) -> "FQ":
-        on = normalize_FQ_point(other)
+        try:
+            on = other.n
+        except Exception:
+            on = other
+
         return type(self)(
             prime_field_inv(self.n, self.field_modulus) * on % self.field_modulus
         )