diff --git a/src/base32.zig b/src/base32.zig
index 99c0cfb..3a6fd12 100644
--- a/src/base32.zig
+++ b/src/base32.zig
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ const expect = std.testing.expect;
 const expectEqualStrings = std.testing.expectEqualStrings;
 const Allocator = std.mem.Allocator;
 
-const Base32Error = error{InvalidLength};
+const Base32Error = error{ InvalidLength, InvalidCharacter, InvalidPadding };
 
 const Base32 = struct {
     ///
-    pub fn decodeU8(allocator: Allocator, data: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+    pub fn decodeU8_old(allocator: Allocator, data: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
         const alphabet = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ234567";
 
         if (data.len % 8 != 0) {
@@ -52,14 +52,114 @@ const Base32 = struct {
 
         return result;
     }
+
+    pub fn decodeU8(allocator: Allocator, data: []const u8) ![]const u8 {
+        const alphabet = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ234567";
+        const expectedLength = data.len / 8 * 5 + (data.len % 8) * 5 / 8;
+        const result = try allocator.alloc(u8, expectedLength);
+
+        var dest_index: usize = 0;
+        var bytes: u40 = 0;
+        var bits_read: u4 = 0;
+        var padding_index: ?usize = null;
+
+        for (data, 0..) |c, src_index| {
+            const bits = std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, alphabet, c);
+            if (bits == null) {
+                if (c != '=') {
+                    return Base32Error.InvalidCharacter;
+                } else {
+                    padding_index = src_index;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+
+            const bitsAsU8: u8 = if (bits != null) @truncate(bits.?) else 0;
+            bytes = bytes << 5 | bitsAsU8;
+
+            bits_read += 5;
+
+            if (bits_read >= 8) {
+                bits_read -= 8;
+                result[dest_index] = @as(u8, @truncate(bytes >> bits_read));
+                dest_index += 1;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // The input has too many bytes. Each input byte encodes 5 bits. If there are 5 or more
+        // trailing bits, then the input could have been one byte shorter.
+        if (bits_read >= 5) {
+            return Base32Error.InvalidPadding;
+        }
+
+        // The trailing bits must all be 0.
+        if ((bytes & (@as(u16, 1) << bits_read) - 1) != 0) {
+            return Base32Error.InvalidPadding;
+        }
+
+        // ensure there are the correct number of '=' at the end
+        // (padding is optional)
+        if (padding_index) |p_index| {
+            var count: usize = 0;
+            const padding = data[p_index..];
+            for (padding) |c| {
+                if (c != '=') {
+                    return Base32Error.InvalidPadding;
+                }
+                count += 1;
+            }
+            if (count != 8 - (p_index % 8)) {
+                return Base32Error.InvalidPadding;
+            }
+        }
+        return result[0..dest_index];
+    }
 };
 
-test "base32 decode base32('abcde') " {
+test "base32 decode base32('abcde', 'MFRGGZDF') " {
     try testDecode("abcde", "MFRGGZDF");
 }
-test "base32 decode base32('aaaaa') " {
+test "base32 decode base32('aaaaa', 'MFQWCYLB') " {
     try testDecode("aaaaa", "MFQWCYLB");
 }
+test "base32 decode base32('aaaaabbbbb', 'MFQWCYLBMJRGEYTC') " {
+    try testDecode("aaaaabbbbb", "MFQWCYLBMJRGEYTC");
+}
+test "base32 decode base32('aaaa', 'MFQWCYI') " {
+    try testDecode("aaaa", "MFQWCYI");
+}
+test "base32 decode base32('aaaa', 'MFQWCYI=') " {
+    try testDecode("aaaa", "MFQWCYI=");
+}
+
+test "base32 decode base32('a', 'ME') " {
+    try testDecode("a", "ME");
+}
+test "base32 decode base32('a', 'ME======') " {
+    try testDecode("a", "ME======");
+}
+test "base32 decode base32('aa', 'MFQQ') " {
+    try testDecode("aa", "MFQQ");
+}
+test "base32 decode base32('aa', 'MFQQ====') " {
+    try testDecode("aa", "MFQQ====");
+}
+
+test "invalid base32 decode base32('MF') - trailing bits" {
+    try testError(Base32Error.InvalidPadding, "MF");
+}
+test "invalid base32 decode base32('ME==') - incorrect number or '='" {
+    try testError(Base32Error.InvalidPadding, "MF==");
+}
+test "invalid base32 decode base32('ME=======') - incorrect number or '='" {
+    try testError(Base32Error.InvalidPadding, "MF=========");
+}
+test "invalid base32 decode base32('MFQWC=A=') - character after '='" {
+    try testError(Base32Error.InvalidPadding, "MFQWC=A=");
+}
+test "invalid base32 decode base32('Me') - invalid character" {
+    try testError(Base32Error.InvalidCharacter, "Me");
+}
 
 fn testDecode(expected_decoded: []const u8, encoded: []const u8) !void {
     var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
@@ -69,16 +169,10 @@ fn testDecode(expected_decoded: []const u8, encoded: []const u8) !void {
     try expectEqualStrings(expected_decoded, decoded);
 }
 
-test "base32 decode - invalid length" {
+fn testError(expected_error: anyerror, encoded: []const u8) !void {
     var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
     const allocator = gpa.allocator();
 
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "1") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "12") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "123") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "1234") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "12345") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "123456") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "1234567") == error.InvalidLength);
-    try std.testing.expect(Base32.decodeU8(allocator, "123456789") == error.InvalidLength);
+    const decoded = Base32.decodeU8(allocator, encoded);
+    try std.testing.expectError(expected_error, decoded);
 }