diff --git a/src/goto-programs/goto_program.h b/src/goto-programs/goto_program.h
index b709646ed4e..7bc9f522088 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/goto_program.h
+++ b/src/goto-programs/goto_program.h
@@ -573,6 +573,14 @@ class goto_programt
     return instructions.insert(target, instructiont());
   }
 
+  /// Insertion before the instruction pointed-to by the given instruction
+  /// iterator `target`.
+  /// \return newly inserted location
+  targett insert_before(const_targett target, const instructiont &i)
+  {
+    return instructions.insert(target, i);
+  }
+
   /// Insertion after the instruction pointed-to by the given instruction
   /// iterator `target`.
   /// \return newly inserted location
@@ -581,6 +589,14 @@ class goto_programt
     return instructions.insert(std::next(target), instructiont());
   }
 
+  /// Insertion after the instruction pointed-to by the given instruction
+  /// iterator `target`.
+  /// \return newly inserted location
+  targett insert_after(const_targett target, const instructiont &i)
+  {
+    return instructions.insert(std::next(target), i);
+  }
+
   /// Appends the given program `p` to `*this`. `p` is destroyed.
   void destructive_append(goto_programt &p)
   {
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/remove_returns.cpp b/src/goto-programs/remove_returns.cpp
index debf7865dc4..869f37d01af 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/remove_returns.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/remove_returns.cpp
@@ -206,20 +206,19 @@ void remove_returnst::do_function_calls(
             rhs = side_effect_expr_nondett(
               function_call.lhs().type(), i_it->source_location);
 
-          goto_programt::targett t_a=goto_program.insert_after(i_it);
-          t_a->make_assignment();
-          t_a->source_location=i_it->source_location;
-          t_a->code=code_assignt(function_call.lhs(), rhs);
+          goto_programt::targett t_a = goto_program.insert_after(
+            i_it,
+            goto_programt::make_assignment(
+              code_assignt(function_call.lhs(), rhs), i_it->source_location));
 
           // fry the previous assignment
           function_call.lhs().make_nil();
 
           if(!is_stub)
           {
-            goto_programt::targett t_d=goto_program.insert_after(t_a);
-            t_d->make_dead();
-            t_d->source_location=i_it->source_location;
-            t_d->code = code_deadt(*return_value);
+            goto_program.insert_after(
+              t_a,
+              goto_programt::make_dead(*return_value, i_it->source_location));
           }
         }
       }