diff --git a/doc/python_api_reference_vDev.md b/doc/python_api_reference_vDev.md
index a4b62d067..081c06d0b 100644
--- a/doc/python_api_reference_vDev.md
+++ b/doc/python_api_reference_vDev.md
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ API references for stable versions are kept on the [stim github wiki](https://gi
     - [`stim.ExplainedError.dem_error_terms`](#stim.ExplainedError.dem_error_terms)
 - [`stim.FlipSimulator`](#stim.FlipSimulator)
     - [`stim.FlipSimulator.__init__`](#stim.FlipSimulator.__init__)
-    - [`stim.FlipSimulator.apply_pauli_errors`](#stim.FlipSimulator.apply_pauli_errors)
     - [`stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size`](#stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size)
+    - [`stim.FlipSimulator.broadcast_pauli_errors`](#stim.FlipSimulator.broadcast_pauli_errors)
     - [`stim.FlipSimulator.do`](#stim.FlipSimulator.do)
     - [`stim.FlipSimulator.get_detector_flips`](#stim.FlipSimulator.get_detector_flips)
     - [`stim.FlipSimulator.get_measurement_flips`](#stim.FlipSimulator.get_measurement_flips)
@@ -6132,12 +6132,34 @@ def __init__(
     """
 ```
 
-<a name="stim.FlipSimulator.apply_pauli_errors"></a>
+<a name="stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size"></a>
 ```python
-# stim.FlipSimulator.apply_pauli_errors
+# stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size
 
 # (in class stim.FlipSimulator)
-def apply_pauli_errors(
+@property
+def batch_size(
+    self,
+) -> int:
+    """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
+
+    Examples:
+        >>> import stim
+        >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
+        >>> sim.batch_size
+        256
+        >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
+        >>> sim.batch_size
+        42
+    """
+```
+
+<a name="stim.FlipSimulator.broadcast_pauli_errors"></a>
+```python
+# stim.FlipSimulator.broadcast_pauli_errors
+
+# (in class stim.FlipSimulator)
+def broadcast_pauli_errors(
     self,
     *,
     pauli: Union[str, int],
@@ -6149,7 +6171,7 @@ def apply_pauli_errors(
         pauli: The pauli, specified as an integer or string.
             Uses the convention 0=I, 1=X, 2=Y, 3=Z.
             Any value from [0, 1, 2, 3, 'X', 'Y', 'Z', 'I', '_'] is allowed.
-        mask: a bool array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
+        mask: a np.bool_ array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
             The pauli error is only applied to qubits q and simulation indices k
                 where mask[q, k] == True
 
@@ -6161,34 +6183,19 @@ def apply_pauli_errors(
         ...     num_qubits=3,
         ...     disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
         ... )
-        >>> sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+        >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         ...     pauli='X',
         ...     mask=np.asarray([[True, False],[False, False],[True, True]]),
         ... )
         >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
         [stim.PauliString("+X_X"), stim.PauliString("+__X")]
-    """
-```
-
-<a name="stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size"></a>
-```python
-# stim.FlipSimulator.batch_size
-
-# (in class stim.FlipSimulator)
-@property
-def batch_size(
-    self,
-) -> int:
-    """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
 
-    Examples:
-        >>> import stim
-        >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
-        >>> sim.batch_size
-        256
-        >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
-        >>> sim.batch_size
-        42
+        >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+        ...     pauli='Z',
+        ...     mask=np.asarray([[False, True],[False, False],[True, True]]),
+        ... )
+        >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+        [stim.PauliString("+X_Y"), stim.PauliString("+Z_Y")]
     """
 ```
 
diff --git a/doc/stim.pyi b/doc/stim.pyi
index ca1b6b983..67c2f3677 100644
--- a/doc/stim.pyi
+++ b/doc/stim.pyi
@@ -4655,7 +4655,22 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             >>> import stim
             >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
         """
-    def apply_pauli_errors(
+    @property
+    def batch_size(
+        self,
+    ) -> int:
+        """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
+
+        Examples:
+            >>> import stim
+            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
+            >>> sim.batch_size
+            256
+            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
+            >>> sim.batch_size
+            42
+        """
+    def broadcast_pauli_errors(
         self,
         *,
         pauli: Union[str, int],
@@ -4667,7 +4682,7 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             pauli: The pauli, specified as an integer or string.
                 Uses the convention 0=I, 1=X, 2=Y, 3=Z.
                 Any value from [0, 1, 2, 3, 'X', 'Y', 'Z', 'I', '_'] is allowed.
-            mask: a bool array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
+            mask: a np.bool_ array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
                 The pauli error is only applied to qubits q and simulation indices k
                     where mask[q, k] == True
 
@@ -4679,27 +4694,19 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             ...     num_qubits=3,
             ...     disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
             ... )
-            >>> sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+            >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
             ...     pauli='X',
             ...     mask=np.asarray([[True, False],[False, False],[True, True]]),
             ... )
             >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
             [stim.PauliString("+X_X"), stim.PauliString("+__X")]
-        """
-    @property
-    def batch_size(
-        self,
-    ) -> int:
-        """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
 
-        Examples:
-            >>> import stim
-            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
-            >>> sim.batch_size
-            256
-            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
-            >>> sim.batch_size
-            42
+            >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+            ...     pauli='Z',
+            ...     mask=np.asarray([[False, True],[False, False],[True, True]]),
+            ... )
+            >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+            [stim.PauliString("+X_Y"), stim.PauliString("+Z_Y")]
         """
     def do(
         self,
diff --git a/glue/python/src/stim/__init__.pyi b/glue/python/src/stim/__init__.pyi
index ca1b6b983..67c2f3677 100644
--- a/glue/python/src/stim/__init__.pyi
+++ b/glue/python/src/stim/__init__.pyi
@@ -4655,7 +4655,22 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             >>> import stim
             >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
         """
-    def apply_pauli_errors(
+    @property
+    def batch_size(
+        self,
+    ) -> int:
+        """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
+
+        Examples:
+            >>> import stim
+            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
+            >>> sim.batch_size
+            256
+            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
+            >>> sim.batch_size
+            42
+        """
+    def broadcast_pauli_errors(
         self,
         *,
         pauli: Union[str, int],
@@ -4667,7 +4682,7 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             pauli: The pauli, specified as an integer or string.
                 Uses the convention 0=I, 1=X, 2=Y, 3=Z.
                 Any value from [0, 1, 2, 3, 'X', 'Y', 'Z', 'I', '_'] is allowed.
-            mask: a bool array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
+            mask: a np.bool_ array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
                 The pauli error is only applied to qubits q and simulation indices k
                     where mask[q, k] == True
 
@@ -4679,27 +4694,19 @@ class FlipSimulator:
             ...     num_qubits=3,
             ...     disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
             ... )
-            >>> sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+            >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
             ...     pauli='X',
             ...     mask=np.asarray([[True, False],[False, False],[True, True]]),
             ... )
             >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
             [stim.PauliString("+X_X"), stim.PauliString("+__X")]
-        """
-    @property
-    def batch_size(
-        self,
-    ) -> int:
-        """Returns the number of instances being simulated by the simulator.
 
-        Examples:
-            >>> import stim
-            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=256)
-            >>> sim.batch_size
-            256
-            >>> sim = stim.FlipSimulator(batch_size=42)
-            >>> sim.batch_size
-            42
+            >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+            ...     pauli='Z',
+            ...     mask=np.asarray([[False, True],[False, False],[True, True]]),
+            ... )
+            >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+            [stim.PauliString("+X_Y"), stim.PauliString("+Z_Y")]
         """
     def do(
         self,
diff --git a/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator.pybind.cc b/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator.pybind.cc
index f9a10c1a6..f521cad5c 100644
--- a/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator.pybind.cc
+++ b/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator.pybind.cc
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ void stim_pybind::pybind_frame_simulator_methods(
             .data());
 
     c.def(
-        "apply_pauli_errors",
+        "broadcast_pauli_errors",
         [](FrameSimulator<MAX_BITWORD_WIDTH> &self,
            const pybind11::object &pauli,
            const pybind11::object &mask
@@ -780,6 +780,9 @@ void stim_pybind::pybind_frame_simulator_methods(
             uint8_t p = 255;
             try {
                 p = pybind11::cast<uint8_t>(pauli);
+                if (p >= 4) {
+                    throw pybind11::cast_error();
+                }
             } catch (const pybind11::cast_error &) {
                 try {
                     std::string s = pybind11::cast<std::string>(pauli);
@@ -791,53 +794,53 @@ void stim_pybind::pybind_frame_simulator_methods(
                         p = 3;
                     } else if (s == "I" || s == "_") {
                         p = 0;
+                    } else {
+                        throw pybind11::cast_error();
                     }
                 } catch (const pybind11::cast_error &) {
+                    throw std::invalid_argument(
+                    "broadcast_pauli_errors only accepts pauli arguments in ['I', '_', 'X', 'Y', 'Z', 0,1,2,3]");
                 }
             }
 
             bool flip_z_part = p & 2;
-            bool flip_x_part = 6 >> p & 1;  // 0b0110 >> p & 0b0001
-
-            if (pybind11::isinstance<pybind11::array_t<bool>>(mask)) {
-                // can use pybind11::isinstance<pybind11::array_t<bool, pybind11::array::c_style>>
-                // to check for dense c_ordered array for copying, if this is too slow for you
-                const pybind11::array_t<bool> &arr = pybind11::cast<pybind11::array_t<bool>>(mask);
-                if (arr.ndim() == 2) {
-                    //pybind11::ssize_t???
-                    size_t major = arr.shape(0);
-                    size_t minor = arr.shape(1);
-                    //size_t major_stride = arr.strides(0);
-                    //size_t minor_stride = arr.strides(1);
-                    auto u = arr.unchecked<2>();
-                    for (size_t i = 0; i < major; i++){
-                        for (size_t j = 0; j < minor; j++){
-                            auto b = u.data(i, j);
-                            self.x_table[i][j] ^= *b & flip_x_part;
-                            self.z_table[i][j] ^= *b & flip_z_part;
-                        }
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    throw std::invalid_argument(
-                    "apply_pauli_errors currently only supports a mask that is a 2D bool numpy array");
-                }
-            } else {
-                    throw std::invalid_argument(
-                    "apply_pauli_errors currently only supports a mask that is a 2D bool numpy array");
+            bool flip_x_part = (0b0110 >> p) & 1;  // parity of 2 bit number
+
+
+            if (!pybind11::isinstance<pybind11::array_t<bool>>(mask)) {
+                throw std::invalid_argument(
+                "broadcast_pauli_errors can only accept mask that is a 2D array of np.bool_");
+            }
+            const pybind11::array_t<bool> &arr = pybind11::cast<pybind11::array_t<bool>>(mask);
+
+            if (arr.ndim() != 2) {
+                throw std::invalid_argument(
+                "broadcast_pauli_errors can only accept mask that is a 2D array of np.bool_");
+            }
+
+            size_t major = arr.shape(0);
+            size_t minor = arr.shape(1);
+            auto u = arr.unchecked<2>();
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < major; i++){
+                for (size_t j = 0; j < minor; j++){
+                    auto b = u.data(i, j);
+                    self.x_table[i][j] ^= *b & flip_x_part;
+                    self.z_table[i][j] ^= *b & flip_z_part;
                 }
+            }
         },
         pybind11::kw_only(),
         pybind11::arg("pauli"),
         pybind11::arg("mask"),
         clean_doc_string(R"DOC(
-            @signature def apply_pauli_errors(self, *, pauli: Union[str, int], mask: np.ndarray) -> None:
+            @signature def broadcast_pauli_errors(self, *, pauli: Union[str, int], mask: np.ndarray) -> None:
             Applies a pauli over all qubits in all simulation indices, filtered by mask.
 
             Args:
                 pauli: The pauli, specified as an integer or string.
                     Uses the convention 0=I, 1=X, 2=Y, 3=Z.
                     Any value from [0, 1, 2, 3, 'X', 'Y', 'Z', 'I', '_'] is allowed.
-                mask: a bool array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
+                mask: a np.bool_ array with shape (qubit, simulation_instance)
                     The pauli error is only applied to qubits q and simulation indices k
                         where mask[q, k] == True
 
@@ -849,12 +852,20 @@ void stim_pybind::pybind_frame_simulator_methods(
                 ...     num_qubits=3,
                 ...     disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
                 ... )
-                >>> sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+                >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
                 ...     pauli='X',
                 ...     mask=np.asarray([[True, False],[False, False],[True, True]]),
                 ... )
                 >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
                 [stim.PauliString("+X_X"), stim.PauliString("+__X")]
+
+                >>> sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+                ...     pauli='Z',
+                ...     mask=np.asarray([[False, True],[False, False],[True, True]]),
+                ... )
+                >>> sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+                [stim.PauliString("+X_Y"), stim.PauliString("+Z_Y")]
+
         )DOC")
             .data());
 }
diff --git a/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator_pybind_test.py b/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator_pybind_test.py
index 87fa2baf2..8ceb96283 100644
--- a/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator_pybind_test.py
+++ b/src/stim/simulators/frame_simulator_pybind_test.py
@@ -216,13 +216,13 @@ def test_set_pauli_flip():
         stim.PauliString('XZ___'),
     ]
 
-def test_apply_pauli_errors():
+def test_broadcast_pauli_errors():
     sim = stim.FlipSimulator(
         batch_size=2,
         num_qubits=3,
         disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
     )
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli='X',
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, False],
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+X_X"),
         stim.PauliString("+__X")
     ]
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli='Z',
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, True],
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+YZX"),
         stim.PauliString("+Z_X")
     ]
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli='Y',
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, False],
@@ -261,6 +261,19 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+_ZX"),
         stim.PauliString("+ZYZ")
     ]
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+        pauli='I',
+        mask=np.asarray([
+            [True, True],
+            [False, True],
+            [True, True]]
+        ),
+    )
+    peek = sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+    assert peek == [
+        stim.PauliString("+_ZX"),
+        stim.PauliString("+ZYZ")
+    ]
 
     # do it again with ints
     sim = stim.FlipSimulator(
@@ -268,7 +281,7 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         num_qubits=3,
         disable_stabilizer_randomization=True,
     )
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli=1,
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, False],
@@ -281,7 +294,7 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+X_X"),
         stim.PauliString("+__X")
     ]
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli=3,
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, True],
@@ -294,7 +307,7 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+YZX"),
         stim.PauliString("+Z_X")
     ]
-    sim.apply_pauli_errors(
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
         pauli=2,
         mask=np.asarray([
             [True, False],
@@ -307,6 +320,38 @@ def test_apply_pauli_errors():
         stim.PauliString("+_ZX"),
         stim.PauliString("+ZYZ")
     ]
+    sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+        pauli=0,
+        mask=np.asarray([
+            [True, True],
+            [False, True],
+            [True, True]]
+        ),
+    )
+    peek = sim.peek_pauli_flips()
+    assert peek == [
+        stim.PauliString("+_ZX"),
+        stim.PauliString("+ZYZ")
+    ]
+
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+            pauli='whoops',
+            mask=np.asarray([
+                [True, True],
+                [False, True],
+                [True, True]]
+            ),
+        )
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        sim.broadcast_pauli_errors(
+            pauli=4,
+            mask=np.asarray([
+                [True, True],
+                [False, True],
+                [True, True]]
+            ),
+        )
 
 
 def test_repro_heralded_pauli_channel_1_bug():