diff --git a/src/check/Check.zig b/src/check/Check.zig
index 057fddf800..28a448bab3 100644
--- a/src/check/Check.zig
+++ b/src/check/Check.zig
@@ -164,8 +164,9 @@ pub inline fn debugAssertArraysInSync(self: *const Self) void {
 inline fn ensureTypeStoreIsFilled(self: *Self) Allocator.Error!void {
     const region_nodes: usize = @intCast(self.regions.len());
     const type_nodes: usize = @intCast(self.types.len());
+    try self.types.ensureTotalCapacity(region_nodes);
     for (type_nodes..region_nodes) |_| {
-        _ = try self.types.fresh();
+        _ = self.types.appendFromContentAssumeCapacity(.err);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/collections/safe_list.zig b/src/collections/safe_list.zig
index 7bab56e26f..7fe88e0b7a 100644
--- a/src/collections/safe_list.zig
+++ b/src/collections/safe_list.zig
@@ -200,6 +200,14 @@ pub fn SafeList(comptime T: type) type {
             return @enumFromInt(@as(u32, @intCast(length)));
         }
 
+        /// Add a new item to the end of this list assuming cpacity is sufficient to hold an additional item.
+        pub fn appendAssumeCapacity(self: *SafeList(T), item: T) Idx {
+            const length = self.len();
+            self.items.appendAssumeCapacity(item);
+
+            return @enumFromInt(@as(u32, @intCast(length)));
+        }
+
         /// Create a range from the provided idx to the end of the list
         pub fn rangeToEnd(self: *SafeList(T), start_int: u32) Range {
             const len_int = self.len();
@@ -432,6 +440,14 @@ pub fn SafeMultiList(comptime T: type) type {
             return @enumFromInt(@as(u32, @intCast(length)));
         }
 
+        /// Add a new item to the end of this list assuming cpacity is sufficient to hold an additional item.
+        pub fn appendAssumeCapacity(self: *SafeMultiList(T), item: T) Idx {
+            const length = self.len();
+            self.items.appendAssumeCapacity(item);
+
+            return @enumFromInt(@as(u32, @intCast(length)));
+        }
+
         pub fn appendSlice(self: *SafeMultiList(T), gpa: Allocator, elems: []const T) std.mem.Allocator.Error!Range {
             if (elems.len == 0) {
                 return .{ .start = .zero, .count = 0 };
diff --git a/src/types/store.zig b/src/types/store.zig
index aff8253c25..2ffa5a151f 100644
--- a/src/types/store.zig
+++ b/src/types/store.zig
@@ -184,6 +184,13 @@ pub const Store = struct {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Create a new variable with the provided content assuming there is capacity
+    pub fn appendFromContentAssumeCapacity(self: *Self, content: Content) Var {
+        const desc_idx = self.descs.appendAssumeCapacity(.{ .content = content, .rank = Rank.top_level, .mark = Mark.none });
+        const slot_idx = self.slots.appendAssumeCapacity(.{ .root = desc_idx });
+        return Self.slotIdxToVar(slot_idx);
+    }
+
     // setting variables //
 
     /// Set a type variable to the provided content
@@ -964,9 +971,9 @@ const SlotStore = struct {
         return @enumFromInt(@intFromEnum(safe_idx));
     }
 
-    /// Insert a value into the store
-    fn appendAssumeCapacity(self: *Self, gpa: Allocator, typ: Slot) std.mem.Allocator.Error!Idx {
-        const safe_idx = try self.backing.append(gpa, typ);
+    /// Insert a value into the store assuming there is capacity
+    fn appendAssumeCapacity(self: *Self, typ: Slot) Idx {
+        const safe_idx = self.backing.appendAssumeCapacity(typ);
         return @enumFromInt(@intFromEnum(safe_idx));
     }
 
@@ -1068,6 +1075,12 @@ const DescStore = struct {
         return @enumFromInt(@intFromEnum(safe_idx));
     }
 
+    /// Appends a value to the store assuming there is capacity
+    fn appendAssumeCapacity(self: *Self, typ: Desc) Idx {
+        const safe_idx = self.backing.appendAssumeCapacity(typ);
+        return @enumFromInt(@intFromEnum(safe_idx));
+    }
+
     /// Set a value in the store
     fn set(self: *Self, idx: Idx, val: Desc) void {
         self.backing.set(@enumFromInt(@intFromEnum(idx)), val);