diff --git a/src/analyses/flow_insensitive_analysis.cpp b/src/analyses/flow_insensitive_analysis.cpp
index b2dbb5fe930..0f9e15991f0 100644
--- a/src/analyses/flow_insensitive_analysis.cpp
+++ b/src/analyses/flow_insensitive_analysis.cpp
@@ -341,15 +341,14 @@ bool flow_insensitive_analysis_baset::do_function_call(
 
     goto_programt temp;
 
+    exprt rhs=side_effect_expr_nondett(code.lhs().type());
+
     goto_programt::targett r=temp.add_instruction();
     r->make_return();
-    r->code=code_returnt();
+    r->code=code_returnt(rhs);
     r->function=f_it->first;
     r->location_number=0;
 
-    exprt rhs=side_effect_expr_nondett(code.lhs().type());
-    r->code.move_to_operands(rhs);
-
     goto_programt::targett t=temp.add_instruction(END_FUNCTION);
     t->code.set(ID_identifier, code.function());
     t->function=f_it->first;
diff --git a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
index f05e0ef321b..83dea257569 100644
--- a/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/cpp_typecheck_compound_type.cpp
@@ -692,10 +692,7 @@ void cpp_typecheckt::typecheck_compound_declarator(
               namespacet(symbol_table).lookup(args[i].get(ID_C_identifier)).symbol_expr());
           }
 
-          code_returnt code_return;
-          code_return.return_value() = expr_call;
-
-          func_symb.value = code_return;
+          func_symb.value=code_returnt(expr_call);
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/goto-instrument/goto_program2code.cpp b/src/goto-instrument/goto_program2code.cpp
index e1698675af4..e5434201198 100644
--- a/src/goto-instrument/goto_program2code.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-instrument/goto_program2code.cpp
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ goto_programt::const_targett goto_program2codet::convert_return(
     goto_programt::const_targett upper_bound,
     codet &dest)
 {
-  code_returnt ret=to_code_return(target->code);
+  const code_returnt &ret=to_code_return(target->code);
 
   // add return instruction unless original code was missing a return
   if(!ret.has_return_value() ||
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert.cpp b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert.cpp
index b4f4385a314..c3f413a8600 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert.cpp
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@ void goto_convertt::convert_return(
 
     // remove void-typed return value
     if(!result_is_used)
-      new_code.operands().resize(0);
+      new_code.return_value().make_nil();
   }
 
   if(targets.has_return_value)
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_functions.cpp b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_functions.cpp
index c4ec6ea43c7..8a92d50445c 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_functions.cpp
@@ -186,13 +186,12 @@ void goto_convert_functionst::add_return(
 
   #endif
 
+  side_effect_expr_nondett rhs(f.type.return_type());
+
   goto_programt::targett t=f.body.add_instruction();
   t->make_return();
-  t->code=code_returnt();
+  t->code=code_returnt(rhs);
   t->source_location=source_location;
-
-  side_effect_expr_nondett rhs(f.type.return_type());
-  t->code.move_to_operands(rhs);
 }
 
 /*******************************************************************\
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_new_switch_case.cpp b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_new_switch_case.cpp
index bc6ebcc05b6..83b82b034c8 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_new_switch_case.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_new_switch_case.cpp
@@ -1508,7 +1508,7 @@ void goto_convertt::convert_return(
 
     // remove void-typed return value
     if(!result_is_used)
-      new_code.operands().resize(0);
+      new_code.return_value().make_nil();
   }
 
   if(targets.has_return_value)