diff --git a/dot/state/slot.go b/dot/state/slot.go
index f926edbf03..267a8ada56 100644
--- a/dot/state/slot.go
+++ b/dot/state/slot.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/dot/types"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/internal/database"
+	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/lib/primitives"
 	"github.com/ChainSafe/gossamer/pkg/scale"
 )
 
@@ -45,10 +46,10 @@ type headerAndSigner struct {
 }
 
 func (s *SlotState) CheckEquivocation(slotNow, slot uint64, header *types.Header,
-	signer types.AuthorityID) (*types.BabeEquivocationProof, error) {
+	signer types.AuthorityID) (*types.BabeEquivocationProof, error) { //skipcq: GO-R1005
 	// We don't check equivocations for old headers out of our capacity.
 	// checking slotNow is greater than slot to avoid overflow, same as saturating_sub
-	if saturatingSub(slotNow, slot) > maxSlotCapacity {
+	if primitives.SaturatingSub(slotNow, slot) > maxSlotCapacity {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ func (s *SlotState) CheckEquivocation(slotNow, slot uint64, header *types.Header
 	newFirstSavedSlot := firstSavedSlot
 
 	if slotNow-firstSavedSlot >= pruningBound {
-		newFirstSavedSlot = saturatingSub(slotNow, maxSlotCapacity)
+		newFirstSavedSlot = primitives.SaturatingSub(slotNow, maxSlotCapacity)
 
 		for s := firstSavedSlot; s < newFirstSavedSlot; s++ {
 			slotEncoded := make([]byte, 8)
@@ -184,10 +185,3 @@ func (s *SlotState) CheckEquivocation(slotNow, slot uint64, header *types.Header
 
 	return nil, nil
 }
-
-func saturatingSub(a, b uint64) uint64 {
-	if a > b {
-		return a - b
-	}
-	return 0
-}
diff --git a/lib/primitives/math.go b/lib/primitives/math.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d44a0c1293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/primitives/math.go
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+// Copyright 2023 ChainSafe Systems (ON)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only
+
+package primitives
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"unsafe"
+
+	"golang.org/x/exp/constraints"
+)
+
+// saturatingOperations applies the correct operation
+// given the input types
+func saturatingOperations[T constraints.Integer](a, b T,
+	signedSaturatingOperation func(T, T, T, T) T,
+	unsignedSaturatingOperation func(T, T) T,
+) T {
+	switch any(a).(type) {
+	case int, int8, int16, int32, int64:
+		// #nosec G103
+		sizeOf := (unsafe.Sizeof(a) * 8) - 1
+
+		var (
+			maxValueOfSignedType T = 1<<sizeOf - 1
+			minValueOfSignedType T = ^maxValueOfSignedType
+		)
+
+		return signedSaturatingOperation(a, b, maxValueOfSignedType, minValueOfSignedType)
+	case uint, uint8, uint16, uint32, uint64, uintptr:
+		// the operation ^T(0) gives us the max value of type T
+		// eg. if T is uint8 then it gives us 255
+		return unsignedSaturatingOperation(a, b)
+	}
+
+	panic(fmt.Sprintf("type %T not supported while performing SaturatingAdd", a))
+}
+
+// SaturatingAdd computes a + b saturating at the numeric bounds instead of overflowing
+func SaturatingAdd[T constraints.Integer](a, b T) T {
+	return saturatingOperations(a, b, saturatingAddSigned, saturatingAddUnsigned)
+}
+
+func saturatingAddSigned[T constraints.Integer](a, b, max, min T) T {
+	if b > 0 && a > max-b {
+		return max
+	}
+
+	if b < 0 && a < min-b {
+		return min
+	}
+
+	return a + b
+}
+
+func saturatingAddUnsigned[T constraints.Integer](a, b T) T {
+	// the operation ^T(0) gives us the max value of type T
+	// eg. if T is uint8 then it gives us 255
+	max := ^T(0)
+
+	if a > max-b {
+		return max
+	}
+	return a + b
+}
+
+// SaturatingSub computes a - b saturating at the numeric bounds instead of overflowing
+func SaturatingSub[T constraints.Integer](a, b T) T {
+	return saturatingOperations(a, b, saturatingSubSigned, saturatingSubUnsigned)
+}
+
+func saturatingSubSigned[T constraints.Integer](a, b, max, min T) T {
+	if b < 0 && a > max+b {
+		return max
+	}
+
+	if b > 0 && a < min+b {
+		return min
+	}
+
+	return a - b
+}
+
+func saturatingSubUnsigned[T constraints.Integer](a, b T) T {
+	if a > b {
+		return a - b
+	}
+	return 0
+}
diff --git a/lib/primitives/math_test.go b/lib/primitives/math_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52cfb78db2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/primitives/math_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+// Copyright 2023 ChainSafe Systems (ON)
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-only
+
+package primitives
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/math"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestSaturatingAdd(t *testing.T) {
+	require.Equal(t, uint8(2), SaturatingAdd(uint8(1), uint8(1)))
+	require.Equal(t, uint8(math.MaxUint8), SaturatingAdd(uint8(math.MaxUint8), 100))
+
+	require.Equal(t, uint32(math.MaxUint32), SaturatingAdd(uint32(math.MaxUint32), 100))
+	require.Equal(t, uint32(100), SaturatingAdd(uint32(0), 100))
+
+	// should not be able to overflow in the opposite direction as well
+	require.Equal(t, int64(math.MinInt64), SaturatingAdd(int64(math.MinInt64), -100))
+	require.Equal(t, int8(127), SaturatingAdd(int8(120), 7))
+	require.Equal(t, int8(127), SaturatingAdd(int8(120), 8))
+}
+
+func TestSaturatingSub(t *testing.T) {
+	// -128 - 100 overflows, so it should return just -128
+	require.Equal(t, int8(math.MinInt8), SaturatingSub(int8(math.MinInt8), 100))
+	require.Equal(t, int8(0), SaturatingSub(int8(100), 100))
+
+	// max - (-1) = max + 1 = overflows, so it should return just max
+	require.Equal(t, int64(math.MaxInt64), SaturatingSub(int64(math.MaxInt64), -1))
+
+	// 2 - 10 = -8 which overflows, then should return just 0
+	require.Equal(t, uint32(0), SaturatingSub(uint32(2), uint32(10)))
+	require.Equal(t, uint64(math.MaxUint64), SaturatingSub(uint64(math.MaxUint64), uint64(0)))
+}