diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index 9838998a7..ae7e22bd8 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl Application {
                 editor.open(file, Action::VerticalSplit)?;
             }
         } else {
-            editor.new_file(Action::VerticalSplit)?;
+            editor.new_file(Action::VerticalSplit);
         }
 
         compositor.push(Box::new(ui::EditorView::new()));
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 5c1021e10..addd74377 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -935,9 +935,7 @@ pub fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
         },
         |editor: &mut Editor, (id, _path): &(DocumentId, Option<PathBuf>), _action| {
             use helix_view::editor::Action;
-            editor
-                .switch(*id, Action::Replace)
-                .expect("editor.open failed");
+            editor.switch(*id, Action::Replace);
         },
     );
     cx.push_layer(Box::new(picker));
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index 256e0e83a..435b2b7e3 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ impl Editor {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn switch(&mut self, id: DocumentId, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
+    pub fn switch(&mut self, id: DocumentId, action: Action) {
         use crate::tree::Layout;
         use helix_core::Selection;
         match action {
@@ -87,17 +87,17 @@ impl Editor {
                 let doc = &mut self.documents[id];
                 doc.selections.insert(view_id, Selection::point(0));
 
-                return Ok(id);
+                return;
             }
             Action::HorizontalSplit => {
-                let view = View::new(id)?;
+                let view = View::new(id);
                 let view_id = self.tree.split(view, Layout::Horizontal);
                 // initialize selection for view
                 let doc = &mut self.documents[id];
                 doc.selections.insert(view_id, Selection::point(0));
             }
             Action::VerticalSplit => {
-                let view = View::new(id)?;
+                let view = View::new(id);
                 let view_id = self.tree.split(view, Layout::Vertical);
                 // initialize selection for view
                 let doc = &mut self.documents[id];
@@ -106,16 +106,15 @@ impl Editor {
         }
 
         self._refresh();
-
-        Ok(id)
     }
 
-    pub fn new_file(&mut self, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
+    pub fn new_file(&mut self, action: Action) -> DocumentId {
         use helix_core::Rope;
         let doc = Document::new(Rope::from("\n"));
         let id = self.documents.insert(doc);
         self.documents[id].id = id;
-        self.switch(id, action)
+        self.switch(id, action);
+        id
     }
 
     pub fn open(&mut self, path: PathBuf, action: Action) -> Result<DocumentId, Error> {
@@ -159,7 +158,8 @@ impl Editor {
             id
         };
 
-        self.switch(id, action)
+        self.switch(id, action);
+        Ok(id)
     }
 
     pub fn close(&mut self, id: ViewId) {
diff --git a/helix-view/src/view.rs b/helix-view/src/view.rs
index 5519d9ffb..f82de90e7 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/view.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/view.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-use anyhow::Error;
-
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
 use crate::{Document, DocumentId, ViewId};
@@ -63,17 +61,15 @@ pub struct View {
 }
 
 impl View {
-    pub fn new(doc: DocumentId) -> Result<Self, Error> {
-        let view = Self {
+    pub fn new(doc: DocumentId) -> Self {
+        Self {
             id: ViewId::default(),
             doc,
             first_line: 0,
             first_col: 0,
             area: Rect::default(), // will get calculated upon inserting into tree
             jumps: JumpList::new((doc, Selection::point(0))), // TODO: use actual sel
-        };
-
-        Ok(view)
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn ensure_cursor_in_view(&mut self, doc: &Document) {