diff --git a/engine/src/bitboard/movegen/pawns.rs b/engine/src/bitboard/movegen/pawns.rs
index f31b3f7..1f0c6e3 100644
--- a/engine/src/bitboard/movegen/pawns.rs
+++ b/engine/src/bitboard/movegen/pawns.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use crate::bitboard::utils::pop_lsb;
+
 use super::*;
 
 impl Board {
@@ -6,8 +8,7 @@ impl Board {
     let offset: u8 = self.side_to_move * 6;
     let mut pawns: u64 = self.bitboards[offset as usize];
     while pawns != 0 {
-      let next_sq = pawns.trailing_zeros();
-      pawns &= !(1 << next_sq);
+      let next_sq = pop_lsb(&mut pawns);
 
       let mut quiets: u64 = self.get_pseudo_pawn_moves(next_sq) & move_mask;
       quiets = self.get_pin_masked_moves(quiets, next_sq);
@@ -40,8 +41,7 @@ impl Board {
     let mut pawns: u64 = self.bitboards[offset];
     let opponents = self.occupancy[1 - self.side_to_move as usize];
     while pawns != 0 {
-      let next_sq: u32 = pawns.trailing_zeros();
-      pawns &= !(1 << next_sq);
+      let next_sq = pop_lsb(&mut pawns);
 
       let mut attacks: u64 = self.get_pseudo_pawn_captures(next_sq) & move_mask;
       attacks = self.get_pin_masked_moves(attacks, next_sq);
diff --git a/engine/src/bitboard/utils.rs b/engine/src/bitboard/utils.rs
index f7f83fe..81cc68f 100644
--- a/engine/src/bitboard/utils.rs
+++ b/engine/src/bitboard/utils.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 #[inline(always)]
-pub fn pop_lsb(value: &mut u64) -> usize {
-  let idx = value.trailing_zeros() as usize;
+pub fn pop_lsb(value: &mut u64) -> u32 {
+  let idx = value.trailing_zeros();
   *value &= !(1 << idx);
   return idx;
 }
 
 #[inline(always)]
-pub fn pop_msb(value: &mut u64) -> usize {
-  let idx = 63 - value.leading_zeros() as usize;
+pub fn pop_msb(value: &mut u64) -> u32 {
+  let idx = 63 - value.leading_zeros();
   *value &= !(1 << idx);
   return idx;
 }
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ mod tests {
       0xBEAC_DBE0_903A_AC00,
       0x01E8_C895_A6F0_0000
     ];
-    let expected_values: [usize; 6] = [63, 0, 4, 2, 10, 20];
+    let expected_values: [u32; 6] = [63, 0, 4, 2, 10, 20];
 
     // tests
     for index in 0..6 {
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ mod tests {
       0x0000_C1C3_201C_0DB1,
       0x0000_0203_0DE4_E944
     ];
-    let expected_values: [usize; 6] = [63, 0, 61, 57, 47, 41];
+    let expected_values: [u32; 6] = [63, 0, 61, 57, 47, 41];
 
     // tests
     for index in 0..6 {