diff --git a/furc/include/furc/front/ir_generator.hpp b/furc/include/furc/front/ir_generator.hpp
index 1d51da0..c459005 100644
--- a/furc/include/furc/front/ir_generator.hpp
+++ b/furc/include/furc/front/ir_generator.hpp
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ public:
     void visit(const ast::binop_expression_node& node) override;
     void visit(const ast::var_assign_expression_node& node) override;
 private:
+    template <typename T, typename... Args>
+    void push(Args&&... args) {
+        if (!m_currentBlock->emplace<T>(std::forward<Args>(args)...)) {
+            throw std::runtime_error("block exited too soon");
+        }
+    }
+
     furlang::ir::block_index push_block();
 private:
     furlang::ir::module                    m_module;
diff --git a/furc/src/front/ir_generator.cpp b/furc/src/front/ir_generator.cpp
index 45fd96d..037105e 100644
--- a/furc/src/front/ir_generator.cpp
+++ b/furc/src/front/ir_generator.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ void ir_generator::visit(const ast::function_definition_node& funcDef) {
     for (const auto& stmt : funcDef.body()->statements) {
         stmt->accept(*this);
     }
+    m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::return_instruction>();
 
     m_module.push(std::move(m_currentFunction));
 }
@@ -35,16 +36,16 @@ void ir_generator::visit(const ast::return_statement_node& returnStmt) {
 
     if (returnStmt.value().present()) {
         returnStmt.value()->accept(*this);
-        m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::return_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(m_registerCounter - 1));
+        push<ir::return_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(m_registerCounter - 1));
     } else {
-        m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::return_instruction>();
+        push<ir::return_instruction>();
     }
 }
 
 void ir_generator::visit(const ast::if_statement_node& node) {
     node.cond()->accept(*this);
     ir_register cond = m_registerCounter - 1;
-    m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::branch_cond_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(cond),
+    push<ir::branch_cond_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(cond),
         m_currentFunction->blocks().size(),
         m_currentFunction->blocks().size() + 1);
 
@@ -68,18 +69,18 @@ void ir_generator::visit(const ast::compound_statement_node& node) {
 }
 
 void ir_generator::visit(const ast::string_literal_node& node) {
-    m_currentBlock->emplace<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_string(std::string(*node.value())),
+    push<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_string(std::string(*node.value())),
         ir::operand::new_reg(m_registerCounter++));
 }
 
 void ir_generator::visit(const ast::integer_literal_node& node) {
-    m_currentBlock->emplace<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_integer(*node.value()),
+    push<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_integer(*node.value()),
         ir::operand::new_reg(m_registerCounter++));
 }
 
 void ir_generator::visit(const ast::var_read_expression_node& node) {
     if (auto it = m_variables.find(*node.get_name()); it != m_variables.end()) {
-        m_currentBlock->emplace<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(it->second),
+        push<furlang::ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(it->second),
             ir::operand::new_reg(m_registerCounter++));
     } else {
         throw std::runtime_error("unknown variable");
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ void ir_generator::visit(const ast::binop_expression_node& node) {
     node.rhs()->accept(*this);
     ir_register rhs = m_registerCounter - 1;
     ir_register dst = m_registerCounter++;
-    m_currentBlock->emplace<furlang::ir::binary_op_instruction>(binary_op_instruction_t(node.type()),
+    push<furlang::ir::binary_op_instruction>(binary_op_instruction_t(node.type()),
         ir::operand::new_reg(lhs),
         ir::operand::new_reg(rhs),
         ir::operand::new_reg(dst));
@@ -135,16 +136,20 @@ void ir_generator::visit(const ast::var_assign_expression_node& node) {
 
     auto compound = node.compound();
     if (compound != ast::binop_expression_node_t::None) {
-        m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::binary_op_instruction>(binary_op_instruction_t(compound),
+        push<ir::binary_op_instruction>(binary_op_instruction_t(compound),
             ir::operand::new_reg(reg),
             ir::operand::new_reg(rhs),
             ir::operand::new_reg(reg));
     } else {
-        m_currentBlock->emplace<ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(rhs), ir::operand::new_reg(reg));
+        push<ir::assign_instruction>(ir::operand::new_reg(rhs), ir::operand::new_reg(reg));
     }
 }
 
 furlang::ir::block_index ir_generator::push_block() {
+    if (!m_currentFunction->blocks().empty() && !m_currentFunction->blocks().back()->has_exit()) {
+        throw std::runtime_error(
+            "block " + std::to_string(m_currentFunction->blocks().size() - 1) + " is lacking an exit");
+    }
     ir::block_index index = m_currentFunction->blocks().size();
     m_currentBlock        = m_currentFunction->push();
     return index;
diff --git a/furc/src/main.cpp b/furc/src/main.cpp
index c755159..af5a313 100644
--- a/furc/src/main.cpp
+++ b/furc/src/main.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ int main(void) {
             for (const auto& instruction : block->instructions()) {
                 std::cout << "  " << *instruction << '\n';
             }
+            std::cout << "  " << *block->exit() << '\n';
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/furlang/include/furlang/ir/block.hpp b/furlang/include/furlang/ir/block.hpp
index 2942760..6b0c8c1 100644
--- a/furlang/include/furlang/ir/block.hpp
+++ b/furlang/include/furlang/ir/block.hpp
@@ -18,14 +18,26 @@ public:
     block() = default;
 public:
     template <typename T, typename... Args, typename = std::enable_if_t<std::is_base_of_v<instruction, T>>>
-    void emplace(Args&&... args) {
-        m_instructions.emplace_back(std::make_unique<T>(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+    bool emplace(Args&&... args) {
+        if (has_exit()) return false;
+        auto instr = std::make_unique<T>(std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+        if (is_exit_instruction(instr->type())) {
+            m_exit = std::move(instr);
+        } else {
+            m_instructions.emplace_back(std::move(instr));
+        }
+        return true;
     }
 
     std::vector<value_type>&       instructions() { return m_instructions; }
     const std::vector<value_type>& instructions() const { return m_instructions; }
+
+    bool              has_exit() const { return m_exit != nullptr; }
+    value_type&       exit() { return m_exit; }
+    const value_type& exit() const { return m_exit; }
 private:
     std::vector<value_type> m_instructions;
+    value_type              m_exit;
 };
 
 } // namespace ir
diff --git a/furlang/include/furlang/ir/instruction.hpp b/furlang/include/furlang/ir/instruction.hpp
index e3eb756..fed51f0 100644
--- a/furlang/include/furlang/ir/instruction.hpp
+++ b/furlang/include/furlang/ir/instruction.hpp
@@ -20,6 +20,15 @@ enum class instruction_t {
     Return,
 };
 
+static inline bool is_exit_instruction(instruction_t type) {
+    switch (type) {
+    case instruction_t::Branch:
+    case instruction_t::BranchCond:
+    case instruction_t::Return: return true;
+    default: return false;
+    }
+}
+
 class instruction {
 public:
     instruction()          = default;