diff --git a/vyper/venom/basicblock.py b/vyper/venom/basicblock.py
index 7e9cc3a737..8b7089c1c7 100644
--- a/vyper/venom/basicblock.py
+++ b/vyper/venom/basicblock.py
@@ -243,8 +243,8 @@ class IRBasicBlock:
         %2 = mul %1, 2
     is represented as:
         bb = IRBasicBlock("bb", function)
-        r1 = bb.add_instruction("add", "%0", "1")
-        r2 = bb.add_instruction("mul", r1, "2")
+        r1 = bb.append_inst("add", "%0", "1")
+        r2 = bb.append_inst("mul", r1, "2")
 
     The label of a basic block is used to refer to it from other basic blocks
     in order to branch to it.
@@ -296,19 +296,16 @@ def remove_cfg_out(self, bb: "IRBasicBlock") -> None:
     def is_reachable(self) -> bool:
         return len(self.cfg_in) > 0
 
-    def _append_instruction(self, instruction: IRInstruction) -> None:
-        assert isinstance(instruction, IRInstruction), "instruction must be an IRInstruction"
-        instruction.parent = self
-        self.instructions.append(instruction)
-
-    def add_instruction_no_return(self, opcode: str, *args) -> None:
+    def append_inst_no_ret(self, opcode: str, *args) -> None:
         inst = IRInstruction(opcode, list(args))
-        self._append_instruction(inst)
+        inst.parent = self
+        self.instructions.append(inst)
 
-    def add_instruction(self, opcode: str, *args) -> IRVariable:
+    def append_inst(self, opcode: str, *args) -> IRVariable:
         ret = self.parent.get_next_variable()
         inst = IRInstruction(opcode, list(args), ret)
-        self._append_instruction(inst)
+        inst.parent = self
+        self.instructions.append(inst)
         return ret
 
     def insert_instruction(self, instruction: IRInstruction, index: int) -> None:
diff --git a/vyper/venom/passes/normalization.py b/vyper/venom/passes/normalization.py
index b55dd20f23..02ca63efa4 100644
--- a/vyper/venom/passes/normalization.py
+++ b/vyper/venom/passes/normalization.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def _insert_split_basicblock(self, bb: IRBasicBlock, in_bb: IRBasicBlock) -> IRB
         source = in_bb.label.value
         target = bb.label.value
         split_bb = IRBasicBlock(IRLabel(f"{target}_split_{source}"), self.ctx)
-        split_bb.add_instruction_no_return("jmp", bb.label)
+        split_bb.append_inst_no_ret("jmp", bb.label)
         self.ctx.append_basic_block(split_bb)
 
         # Rewire the CFG