Verifying the correctness of a leading zero counter, including: generating, based on an input value comprising a plurality of digits, a first bit vector, wherein each entry of the first bit vector indicates whether a corresponding digit of the input value is equal to zero; calculating, based on the first bit vector, a leading zero count for the input value; generating a bit mask comprising a number of leading ones equal to the leading zero count; generating a second bit vector comprising a one at a same index as a first occurring zero in the bit mask; and verifying the leading zero count based on the first bit vector and one or more of the bit mask and the second bit vector.