diff --git a/src/lib/utils/mul128.h b/src/lib/utils/mul128.h
index fb91f548fff..5b2fc418b4b 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils/mul128.h
+++ b/src/lib/utils/mul128.h
@@ -51,22 +51,17 @@ constexpr inline void mul64x64_128(uint64_t a, uint64_t b, uint64_t* lo, uint64_
    const uint32_t b_hi = (b >> HWORD_BITS);
    const uint32_t b_lo = (b & HWORD_MASK);
 
-   uint64_t x0 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_hi) * b_hi;
-   uint64_t x1 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_lo) * b_hi;
-   uint64_t x2 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_hi) * b_lo;
-   uint64_t x3 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_lo) * b_lo;
+   const uint64_t x0 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_hi) * b_hi;
+   const uint64_t x1 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_lo) * b_hi;
+   const uint64_t x2 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_hi) * b_lo;
+   const uint64_t x3 = static_cast<uint64_t>(a_lo) * b_lo;
 
-   // this cannot overflow as (2^32-1)^2 + 2^32-1 < 2^64-1
-   x2 += x3 >> HWORD_BITS;
+   // this cannot overflow as (2^32-1)^2 + 2^32-1 + 2^32-1 = 2^64-1
+   const uint64_t middle = x2 + (x3 >> HWORD_BITS) + (x1 & HWORD_MASK);
 
-   // this one can overflow
-   x2 += x1;
-
-   // propagate the carry if any
-   x0 += static_cast<uint64_t>(static_cast<bool>(x2 < x1)) << HWORD_BITS;
-
-   *hi = x0 + (x2 >> HWORD_BITS);
-   *lo = ((x2 & HWORD_MASK) << HWORD_BITS) + (x3 & HWORD_MASK);
+   // likewise these cannot overflow
+   *hi = x0 + (middle >> HWORD_BITS) + (x1 >> HWORD_BITS);
+   *lo = (middle << HWORD_BITS) + (x3 & HWORD_MASK);
 #endif
 }