diff --git a/fj-kernel/src/algorithms/sweep.rs b/fj-kernel/src/algorithms/sweep.rs
index 8ed99213a..d99be2976 100644
--- a/fj-kernel/src/algorithms/sweep.rs
+++ b/fj-kernel/src/algorithms/sweep.rs
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ pub fn sweep_shape(
         let interiors_top = source_to_top.interiors_for_face(&face_source);
 
         target
-            .topology()
-            .add_face(Face::Face {
+            .insert(Face::Face {
                 surface: surface_bottom,
                 exteriors: exteriors_bottom,
                 interiors: interiors_bottom,
@@ -113,8 +112,7 @@ pub fn sweep_shape(
             })
             .unwrap();
         target
-            .topology()
-            .add_face(Face::Face {
+            .insert(Face::Face {
                 surface: surface_top,
                 exteriors: exteriors_top,
                 interiors: interiors_top,
@@ -165,10 +163,7 @@ pub fn sweep_shape(
                 s.set_color(color);
             }
 
-            target
-                .topology()
-                .add_face(Face::Triangles(side_face))
-                .unwrap();
+            target.insert(Face::Triangles(side_face)).unwrap();
         } else {
             // If there's no continuous edge, we can create the non-
             // continuous faces using boundary representation.
@@ -244,8 +239,7 @@ pub fn sweep_shape(
                     .unwrap();
 
                 target
-                    .topology()
-                    .add_face(Face::Face {
+                    .insert(Face::Face {
                         surface,
                         exteriors: vec![cycle],
                         interiors: Vec::new(),
@@ -417,7 +411,7 @@ mod tests {
                 color: [255, 0, 0, 255],
             };
 
-            let face = shape.topology().add_face(abc)?;
+            let face = shape.insert(abc)?;
 
             Ok(Self { shape, face })
         }
diff --git a/fj-kernel/src/shape/api.rs b/fj-kernel/src/shape/api.rs
index 659a93d42..6b9461ca1 100644
--- a/fj-kernel/src/shape/api.rs
+++ b/fj-kernel/src/shape/api.rs
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ impl Shape {
     /// Access the shape's topology
     pub fn topology(&mut self) -> Topology {
         Topology {
-            min_distance: self.min_distance,
             stores: self.stores.clone(),
             _lifetime: PhantomData,
         }
diff --git a/fj-kernel/src/shape/topology.rs b/fj-kernel/src/shape/topology.rs
index e08638bed..ec63bdca5 100644
--- a/fj-kernel/src/shape/topology.rs
+++ b/fj-kernel/src/shape/topology.rs
@@ -1,30 +1,16 @@
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
 
-use fj_math::Scalar;
-
 use crate::topology::{Cycle, Edge, Face, Vertex};
 
-use super::{stores::Stores, validate::Validate as _, Iter, ValidationResult};
+use super::{stores::Stores, Iter};
 
 /// The vertices of a shape
 pub struct Topology<'r> {
-    pub(super) min_distance: Scalar,
     pub(super) stores: Stores,
     pub(super) _lifetime: PhantomData<&'r ()>,
 }
 
 impl Topology<'_> {
-    /// Add a face to the shape
-    ///
-    /// Validates that the face is structurally sound (i.e. the surface and
-    /// cycles it refers to are part of the shape). Returns an error, if that is
-    /// not the case.
-    pub fn add_face(&mut self, face: Face) -> ValidationResult<Face> {
-        face.validate(self.min_distance, &self.stores)?;
-        let handle = self.stores.faces.insert(face);
-        Ok(handle)
-    }
-
     /// Access iterator over all vertices
     ///
     /// The caller must not make any assumptions about the order of vertices.
@@ -159,8 +145,7 @@ mod tests {
 
         // Nothing has been added to `shape`. Should fail.
         let err = shape
-            .topology()
-            .add_face(Face::Face {
+            .insert(Face::Face {
                 surface: surface.clone(),
                 exteriors: vec![cycle.clone()],
                 interiors: Vec::new(),
@@ -174,7 +159,7 @@ mod tests {
         let cycle = shape.add_cycle()?;
 
         // Everything has been added to `shape` now. Should work!
-        shape.topology().add_face(Face::Face {
+        shape.insert(Face::Face {
             surface,
             exteriors: vec![cycle],
             interiors: Vec::new(),
diff --git a/fj-operations/src/circle.rs b/fj-operations/src/circle.rs
index 9f301ee04..522888d76 100644
--- a/fj-operations/src/circle.rs
+++ b/fj-operations/src/circle.rs
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@ impl ToShape for fj::Circle {
         let cycles = shape.topology().cycles().collect();
         let surface = shape.insert(Surface::x_y_plane()).unwrap();
         shape
-            .topology()
-            .add_face(Face::Face {
+            .insert(Face::Face {
                 exteriors: cycles,
                 interiors: Vec::new(),
                 surface,
diff --git a/fj-operations/src/difference_2d.rs b/fj-operations/src/difference_2d.rs
index 2001d7870..06aee0848 100644
--- a/fj-operations/src/difference_2d.rs
+++ b/fj-operations/src/difference_2d.rs
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ impl ToShape for fj::Difference2d {
         let surface = shape.insert(face_a.surface()).unwrap();
 
         shape
-            .topology()
-            .add_face(Face::Face {
+            .insert(Face::Face {
                 surface,
                 exteriors,
                 interiors,
diff --git a/fj-operations/src/group.rs b/fj-operations/src/group.rs
index 168ce1893..f99bbb22d 100644
--- a/fj-operations/src/group.rs
+++ b/fj-operations/src/group.rs
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ fn copy_shape(mut orig: Shape, target: &mut Shape) {
                 color,
             } => {
                 target
-                    .topology()
-                    .add_face(Face::Face {
+                    .insert(Face::Face {
                         surface: surfaces[&surface].clone(),
                         exteriors: exteriors
                             .iter()
@@ -110,7 +109,7 @@ fn copy_shape(mut orig: Shape, target: &mut Shape) {
                     .unwrap();
             }
             face @ Face::Triangles(_) => {
-                target.topology().add_face(face.clone()).unwrap();
+                target.insert(face.clone()).unwrap();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/fj-operations/src/sketch.rs b/fj-operations/src/sketch.rs
index 6e48c484e..f7149d212 100644
--- a/fj-operations/src/sketch.rs
+++ b/fj-operations/src/sketch.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ impl ToShape for fj::Sketch {
             surface,
             color: self.color(),
         };
-        shape.topology().add_face(face).unwrap();
+        shape.insert(face).unwrap();
 
         shape
     }